nard c
the mor/on
In This Issue .
ORTHICON PICKUP TUBE
FOR TELEVISION CAMERAS
JANUARY
1946
(No. 14 of a series on the manufacture of Du Pont Motion Picture Film )
THE SLIT rolls of Du Pont Mo¬
tion Picture Film have now been
perforated by precision machines
whose dies and punches are accu¬
rate to an unbelievable degree, in¬
suring smooth operation through
camera or projector, and steady
images on the screen.
Next, as pictured, every foot of
every roll of Du Pont Motion Pic¬
ture negative, positive and the
recording stocks is given a keen-
eyed visual inspection.
This “final exam’’ takes place in
air-conditioned rooms where the
only illumination is that reflected
on the film from safelights designed
for this purpose.
Although control tests are con¬
ducted in Du Pont laboratories
throughout the manufacture of Du
Pont Motion Picture Film, this fi¬
nal inspection is still another means
of providing a product of uniform
dependability at all times.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.
(Inc.), Photo Products Depart¬
ment, Wilmington 98, Delaware.
In New York: Empire State Building
In Hollywood: Smith & Aller, Ltd.
DU PONT
MOTION PICTURE FILM
BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING
. . .THROUGH CHEMISTRY
approve this film
1. Retention of latent image
2. Extreme wide latitude
3. Color balance
4. Fine grain
5. Speed
6. Contrast
7. Excellent flesh tones
8. Uniformity
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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In all models a sturdy spring motor in¬
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Bell & Howell Company, Chicago; New
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London.
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8 7148 McCormick Road, Chicago 45
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SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WOR4®
American Cinematographer • January, 1946
£
VOL. 27
JANUARY. 1946
NO. 1
CONTENTS
(55
The S t a f f
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
Orthicon Pickup Tube for Television Cameras . 6
Pointers on Use New Ansco 16 mm. Color Film . 7
Automatic Follow Focus Devices for Use in Cinematography,
By James T. Strohm and William G. Heckler 8
Aces of the Camera (Peverell Marley, A.S.C By Hilda Black 10
Sixteen Goes Hollywood . By Ray Fernstrom, A.S.C. 12
Review of the Film News . 14
No Cherry Blossoms in a Factory . By Walter Wise 16
Among the Movie Clubs . 20
Fitting Film to Music . By Harold Rawlinson 23
Using Your Movie Camera as a Motion Picture Step Printer,
By James R. Oswald 24
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members . 28
ON THE FRONT COVER is a photograph on the set of Monogram’s pro¬
duction, “Suspense”; with Director Frank Tuttle and Director of Photo¬
graphy Karl Struss (in center) checking closeup of Belita and Barry
Sullivan beforet the cameras roll. Photo by Clifton Kling.
<55
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith. President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Charles Clarke, First Vice-President Joseph Walker, Second Vice-President
Arthur Edeson, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
George Folsey, Sergeant-at-Arms
John Arnold Byron Haskin John Seitz
John Boyle Sol Polito Leon Shamroy
Lee Garmes William Skall
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A-S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff, A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices:
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.76
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, 26c ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 36c.
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18. 1937.
at the postoffice at Los Angeles. California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
4
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Color Correct — 16MM prints in 72 hours.
Fast! Yes — but delivery guaranteed.
Full fidelity of sound and definition
often exceeding the original.
For superior work — ahead of time —
"Byron-ize" your prints.
the most complete 16 MM sound studio in the east
Studio: 1712 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Phone Dupont 1800
Washington 9, D.C.
American Cinematographer • January, 1946
5
RCA Television camera equipped with new Image Orthicon pickup tube of extreme sensitivity. The
Orthicon catches action under dim lighting conditions — in this case only a match — and accentuates
signal's lighting qualities for transmission to any degree of increased brilliance.
Orthicon Pickup Tube
for
Television Cameras
ANEW television camera tube of
revolutionary design and sensitiv¬
ity emerged from wartime se¬
crecy for exhibition by Radio Corpora¬
tion of America in a series of studio and
remote pickups in which it not only
transmitted scenes illuminated by can¬
dle and match light but performed the
amazing feat of picking up scenes with
infra-red rays in a blacked-out room.
The new tube, known as the RCA
Image Orthicon, was demonstrated re¬
cently in a studio of the National Broad¬
casting Company, Radio City, with the
cooperation of NBC’s engineering and
production staff. In the exhibition, mem¬
bers of the audience saw themselves
televised under lighting condition to
demonstrate the super sensitivity of the
new electronic “eye” which can solve
many of the major difficulties of illumi¬
nation in television programming and
makes possible ‘round-the-clock tele¬
vision coverage of news and special
events.
Further evidence of the tube’s ex¬
treme sensitivity came in the transmis¬
sion of scenes from a special rodeo show
arranged at Madison Square Garden for
the visiting United States Navy Fleet.
Cowboy acts were picked up by the
Image Orthicon and transmitter to the
studio in a comparative demonstration
displaying its advantage over conven¬
tional television pickup tubes in provid¬
ing greater depth of perception and
clearer views under shifting light con¬
ditions.
RCA-NBC engineers climaxed the
demonstration by blacking out the
studio where the writers were assemb¬
led, and providing the spectacle of pick¬
ing up television scenes in apparent
darkness. Unseen infra-red (Black)
lights were turned on, but it was so
dark that a member of the audience
could not see the person next to him.
Then on the screens of television re¬
ceivers in the studio appeared bright
images of a dancer and other persons
who were in the room. The Image Orthi¬
con tube, it was explained, achieved the
feat through its sensitivity to the infra¬
red rays.
Aladdin’s Lamp of Television
“This is the Aladdin’s Lamp of Tele¬
vision,” declared John F. Royal, NBC
Vice-President in charge of television.
“It’s revolutionary effect on lighting
problems means that many of our ma¬
jor difficulties of illumination will be
eliminated.
“This new instrument which is easily
portable and suitable for use Ln every
field of television opens new vistas that
challenge the imagination. It assures
television of 24 hour coverage, in day¬
light, twilight, or moonlight — in good
weather and in bad.
Declaring the Image Orthicon to be
100 times more sensitive than conven¬
tional pick-up tubes, E. W. Engstrom,
Research Director of RCA Laboratories,
explained details of the development of
the tube. He said that early models
were built before the war in efforts of
RCA television scientists and engineers
to improve the quality of television
transmission. When war came, the arm¬
ed forces found urgent need for tele¬
vision applications, and throughout the
Compactness of the Orthicon tube is shown with
length of 16 inches and diameter of two inches — not
any larger than a tubular flashlight. Orthicon tube
will allow for manufacture of a smaller, lightweight
and more portable television camera.
6
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Pointers on Use New Ansco 16mm. Color Film
conflict RCA research and development
continued at an accelerated pace in re¬
sponse to military requirements. Many
advances were made.
The Image Orthicon tube, for ex¬
ample, Mr. Engstrom said, emerged in
its present form much sooner than
would normally have been the case. A
military secret until now, it can be re¬
vealed that it makes use of the most ad¬
vanced results of more than twenty
years of research not only in television
pick-up tubes but in electron optics,
photo-emission processes, electron mul¬
tipliers, and special materials.
Announcing incorporation of the
Image Orthicon in a new super-sensitive
television camera to be manufactured by
RCA Victor, Meade Brunet, General
manager of the Company’s Engineering
Products Division, said that deliveries
on the camera are expected to be made
to television broadcasters in about six
months.
“This equipment is especially well
suited for televising events remote from
the studio and those where brilliant
lighting is either impracticable or un¬
desirable,” said Mr. Brunet. “The port¬
able camera is lightweight, simple to
operate, and can be quickly set up and
placed in operation. It is particularly
adaptable for use in televising out-of-
door sports and news events and for
remote indoor pick-ups such as in the¬
aters, concert halls, schools, churches,
courtrooms, and other public buildings.”
Advantages in Performance
RCA engineers listed these specific
advantages in performance of the Im¬
age Orthicon:
1. Ability to extend the range of op¬
erations to practically all scenes of vis¬
ual interest, particularly those under-
low-lighting conditions.
2. Improved sensitivity, permitting
greater depth of field and inclusion of
background that might otherwise be
blurred.
3. Improved stability which protects
(Continued on Page 27)
/%NSCO’s 16 mm. color film became
r\ available generally throughout
^ the United States during the past
few weeks, with company announcement
disclosing that production of the film
permits distribution on virtually unre¬
stricted basis to dealers. Limited quanti¬
ties of the new 16 mm. reversible color
stock were distributed in eastern states
last year, and the broadened availability
results from lessened demands for the
film by the armed forces.
For the time being, only 100 foot
lengths of the daylight type film will be
available, Ansco discloses, but within a
few months other length rolls and the
tungsten type film will be on the market.
Processing charges are included in the
purchase price of the 16 mm. color film,
and exposed rolls have to be sent to
Ansco main color laboratory in Bing¬
hamton, New York for such develop¬
ment, until processing labs are estab¬
lished at convenient points and it is ex¬
pected that processing will be available
on the Pacific Coast shortly after Feb.
1, 1946. Company also announces that
duplicating service whereby extra prints
can be struck off, will also be available.
Ansco’s Information on Use
Despite that fact that 16 mm. Ansco
color reversible film has a long scale of
gradation and wide exposure latitude, it
is important that correct exposure be
given if best results are expected. Folder
supplied with each roll of film will aid
in determining correct exposure of the
film, either by use of the exposure charts
provided or when using a photo-cell type
exposure meter. As a general rule, it is
advisable to never use a smaller lens
opening than f/11 when out-of-door ex¬
posures are made at 16 frames per sec¬
ond, regardless of how small a lens
opening is indicated by the exposure
meter; for experience has proven that
even the lightest subjects under bright¬
est sunlight conditions are underexposed
at lens openings smaller than f/11. Un¬
less great care is used in interpreting
the reading of even the finest photo-cell
type exposure meters inaccuracies may,
and often do, result. According to Ansco
the printed chart in folder provides with
each roll has been found to produce con¬
sistent results under the condition given.
This chart discloses that — at normal
shutter speed of 16 frames per second
with the Daylight type film — best re¬
sults will be secured as follows:
Front Side
Lighted Lighted
Bright Sunlight .
... f.8
Hazy Sunlight .
_ f5.6
Soft Shadows
Sun Overcast .
. . . . f.4
No Shadow
Bright Day
Sun Overcast .
_ f2.8
Dull Day
The above table is for use under aver¬
age summer conditions in the temperate
zones, from two hours after sunrise until
two hours before sunset.
In winter, use next larger opening
(one full stop) rather than that given
in the table, provided there is no snow.
With exceptionally brilliant light, as
in seascapes, snowscenes or at high alti¬
tudes, the indicated exposure may be
halved.
The exposures in the table are for
medium subjects. Dark subjects require
one-half stop greater exposure, while
light subjects should be given one-half
stop less exposure.
For best results, Ansco recommends
the exposure of the daylight type color
film only in direct sunlight. Products is
balanced for use without filters under
the normal and recommended conditions.
Hand Tests Possible
In a recent series of tests by Ansco
technicians, it has been determined that
short strips of 16 mm. Ansco color re¬
versible film can be processed in a beaker
or film tank to give an indication of
correct exposure. It was observed that
the density and color quality of the test
strips processed by hand differed but
slightly from that of film processed in
the Ansco color laboratory. The practice
of developing short strips of film to
check exposure may prove advantageous
at times if the individual realizes that
similarly exposed film processed by Ansco
may be slightly different in density and
color quality from the home processed
tests.
Procedure Where Duplicates Wanted
The 16 mm. Ansco color reversible film
exposed with intention of having dupli¬
cates made on Ansco color film should
be softly lighted so as to avoid extreme
contrast because all duplicates exhibit
somewhat higher contrast than the orig¬
inals from which they are made. Films
which have large, dark shadow areas and
extremely light, or even clear highlights
are seldom satisfactory when duplicated
because these extreme conditions are even
more pronounced and annoying in the
duplicate film.
RCA IMAGE ORTHICON TUBE
IMAGE SECTION SCANNING SECTION MULTIPLIER SECTION
pick-up tube, shows how the tube's response to the light of a single candle, or even a match, is built
up to provide a signal which can reproduce images on home receiver screens. A light image from the
subject (arrow at extreme left) is picked up by the camera lens and focused on the light-sensitive face of
the tube, releasing electrons from each of thousands of tiny cells in proportion to the intensity of the
light striking it. These electrons are directed on parallel courses from the back of the tube-face to the
target, from which each striking electron liberates several more, leaving a pattern of proportionate
positive charges on the front of the target. When the back of the target is scanned by the beam from
the electron gun in the base of the tube, enough electrons are deposited at each point to neutralize the
posiHve charges, the rest of the beam returning, as indicated, to a series of "electron multiplier" stages
or dynodes surrounding the electron gun. After the returning "signal" beam has been multiplied many
times, the signal is carried out of the tube to the television broadcast transmitter.
American Cinematographer • January, 1946
7
Automatic
Follow-Focus Devices
For Use In Cinematography
By JAMES T. STROHM and WILLIAM G. HECKLER
(Captains, Signal Corps, Camera Branch, Signal Corps Photographic Center, Long Island City, N. Y.)
IN THE course of producing training
films at the Signal Corps Photo¬
graphic Center, Long Island City,
New York, it was soon realized by the
cinematographers attached to the Cam¬
era Branch that, in many instances, the
type of photography required for train¬
ing films, orientation films, morale films,
etc., was somewhat different than the
photography required for the production
of entertainment films as normally pro¬
duced in the major Hollywood studios.
At the outset the production cameramen
and special effects cameramen soon
found that a great percentage of the
Signal Corps productions required nu¬
merous shots of maps, diagrams, mock-
up models, inserts, miniatures, etc. In
so many shots of this type it was neces¬
sary to open the scene with a full shot
of a map, diagram, or model, and then
move the camera in to a specific point in
order to call attention to it or emphasize
it. The reverse of this procedure was
also often the case, where it was neces¬
sary to open the shot at a specific point
and then move the camera back in order
to encompass the entire object.
Many difficulties were encountered in
an effort to photograph such shots with
the required degree of accuracy. First
of all, the Camera Branch was ham¬
pered by having only a few highly
trained and competent camera operators
capable of operating the camera in these
extremely difficult shots and also only a
few assistant cameramen who had had
enough experience in changing focus on
lenses accurately. The procedure of
accurately changing focus on a photo¬
graphic lens while the camera is in mo¬
tion is extremely difficult and requires
a great deal of instruction and constant
practice. It was found that inexpe¬
rienced camera operators were never
sure if the object being photographed
was in sharp focus through the entire
length of the scene, and it was always
necessary to rephotograph the scene
several times with the hope that one of
the “takes” would be in sharp focus.
Difficulties were also experienced with
camera dolly “weave” and vibrations,
resulting from the human element in¬
troduced in starting and stopping the
dolly and variations in the dolly tracks.
For the same reason, acceleration surges
were seldom absent. Also, accurate syn¬
chronization of in-and-out movements
with up-and-down movements of the
camera was seldom realized.
It soon became apparent that it would
be advantageous to construct some sort
of device which would eliminate the
human element not only in moving the
dolly but also automatically changing
the focus of the photographing lens
during the periods when the camera
was in horizontal movement. Research
work was begun to accomplish this end
and resulted in the development of the
present all-electric and fully automatic
camera dolly which is used at the pres¬
ent time by the Camera Branch at the
Signal Corps Photographic Center.
The fully automatic electric dolly is
an adaptation of a standard Raby cam¬
era dolly. (See Fig. 1). The two stand¬
ard rubber wheels are retained on the
left side, while the standard rubber
wheels on the right side have been re¬
placed with two bronze wheels which
have had a V-shape groove cut into
their riding surfaces. Round V2 in.
tubings which are countersunk into a
wooden base act as a straight-line guide
for these wheels. Troublesome weave
and vibrations are completely eliminated
by this new combination of dolly guide
wheels and track tubing. The track
joints themselves are carefully butted
together, eliminating the usual track
irregularities.
Presented at Spring, 1945, Technical Conference of
Society of Motion Picture Engineers, and published in
October, 1945. issue of SMPE Journal. Reprinted here
with special permission of the SMPE.
Fig. I. Automatic dolly.
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
The power unit which motivates the
dolly consists of a 14 h.p., 110 v d-c
motor which has a top speed of 1725
rpm. The shaft of the motor is con¬
nected to the speed reducer box by
means of a rubber coupling that takes
up all motor vibrations as well as start
and stop jars. The speed of the d-c
motor is reduced 50 times by the reducer
box, and a sprocket gear pulley from it
engages the sprocket chain which in
turn rotates the dolly axle and bronze
power wheel. A rheostat governs the
speed control, while standard reversing
switches determine direction.
Essentially, the same type of power
unit has also been installed on the dolly
and is applied to the dolly tilt arm so
that it may be raised or lowered with
ease even when the dolly is in motion.
To the rear of the unit a seat for the
dolly operator is provided, together with
a control panel which contains switches
and controls that govern the speed and
movement of both the dolly and the
tilt arm. The control panel also con¬
tains dials which show any given posi¬
tion of the dolly and the tilt arm. Once
the dolly operator knows the conditions
of the shot, he can duplicate these con¬
ditions any number of times without
fear of error, for any error that he
might make would be plainly indicated
on the control panel after the shot was
completed. Also, additional switches
make it possible for the operator to
control the entire series of movements
by the throwing of a master switch.
The most important mechanism in¬
stalled on the dolly, however, is the
automatic follow-focus device. As stated
above, this device was developed and
installed because of the gx-eat need for
accurate and positive focus, particularly
on close follow shots where the narrow
depth of field characteristic of photo¬
graphic lenses as they closely approach
a given target demands extremely ac¬
curate focusing. This need was of par¬
ticular importance in special effects
work where follow shots are concerned
mainly with extremely accurate framing
and the extreme proximity of the lens
to the object or target. Such examples
can be cited as the need to move from
a close-up of an individual to his mouth
or eyes, or in some cases, to one eye.
Another common case could be cited
such as moving up to or away from
small sections of maps or titles.
Although this device could be used in
many instances in standard set proce¬
dure, no intent was made to displace
current production methods and it was
conceived only for those highly difficult
follow shots which are almost impossible
to accomplish when the cameraman
must depend upon the judgment of the
operator or assistant to focus the lens
by hand. The automatic focusing of the
photographing lens is accomplished in
the following manner.
The focus unit receives its activation
from the right front dolly wheel. (See
Fig. 2). It transfers this energy to a
cam, which has a contour pitch, com¬
plementary to the curvilinear action of
a two inch lens or of the particular
focal length lens desired. This action
is applied to a small gear on the end
of the shaft of a Selsyn generator mo¬
tor. The rotation of this motor is trans¬
mitted to and received by a Selsyn re¬
ceiving motor. A small gear, same size
as on the generator, is mounted on the
end of the receiving motor shaft. This
activates a pinion gear, which turns
the actual lens gear itself. (See Fig. 3).
There is a distinct advantage in using
electrically connected Selsyn or inter-
(Continued on Page 22)
Fig. 3. Dolly lens gear assembly.
Fig. 4. Title and insert stand.
American Cinematographer • January, 1946
9
ACES of the CAMERA
PEVERELL MARLEY, A.S.C.
By HILDA BLACK
WHEN Pev Marley was graduated
from high school he found him¬
self face-to-face with a crisis in
his life: should he enter Stanford as his
parents had always planned, or should
he get a job instead. It was no ordinary
matter to decide, and wanting their son to
enter Stanford was no idle whim on the
part of his parents. Leland Stanford
had been their friend, and from the day
of Pev’s birth, it was naturally taken for
granted that when the boy became of uni¬
versity age, he would enter Stanford.
There had never been any question about
it.
Which would have been fine, except
that when young Marley reached that
age, he couldn’t make up his mind what
he wanted to do about his future. Defi¬
nitely, he didn’t want to become a doctor
or a lawyer, and the only reason he
could find for going to college was to
have fun — football, track, fraternity ac¬
tivities — things like that. Such a program
didn’t seem to be sufficient excuse for
putting in four years’ time, figured the
sensible lad. And so he decided to get
some kind of a job during summer vaca¬
tion and think the matter over.
By a lucky break, the job he landed
was in the motion picture business as as¬
sistant to A1 Wykoff, Cecil deMilie’s cam¬
eraman. All that summer Pev worked
hard, as did all aspiring cameramen in
those days. Today, for the same amount
of work, four men — instead of one —
would probably be hired. With practically
no help. Pev’s chores included: packing,
unpacking and transporting 22 cases of
camera equipment; setting up three
cameras; loading the film in the morning
and canning it at night; holding the
slate; keeping a record of the footage.
On location he had to take the cameras
apart and put them together again; and
always there was the little book in which
he kept a derailed report of how far what
actor was from what camera in a certain
scene and what type of lens had been
used. Those were questions that were sure
to come up, and they had to be an¬
swered correctly. When a man worked
for deMille, he had to be on his toes
every minute. The director would not tol¬
erate careless or disinterested employees.
In addition to everything else, Marley
kept a little notebook of his own, and
he still has it, to this day. It is his per¬
sonal record of what he terms “deMille
witicisms.” He thought many of the. di¬
rector’s remarks too good to be lost.
That summer’s work convinced Pev
Marley that he liked the motion picture
business. And when schooPime rolled
around again, he made his decision: in¬
stead of going to school and getting an
academic education, he would get a prac¬
tical one. And where, he asked himself,
could he get a better understanding of
the mofion picture industry than with
C. B. deMille, the king of them all. Pev
says now that he has never reeretted
his choice, even though, at the time, it
did cause near-havoc in his family.
Everybody worked hard in the picture
business in those days, and many of the
men who are now tops in the profession,
started just as Pev did — carrying equip¬
ment, taking cameras apart, and put¬
ting them together again — and the dozen
and one other odd jobs they are called
upon to do. It was tough, but it was one
certain way to the top. You learned the
hard way.
Pev got the benefit of the finest train¬
ing in the business, for the deMille epics
were all made on the grand scale. Mar¬
ley worked on such gigantic productions
as “The King of Kings,” (which later
opened Grauman’s Chinese Theater),
“The Ten Commandments,” “The Volga
Boatman” (it opened the Carthay Circle),
“Feet of Clay,” and “Dynamite” among
others.
Perhaps it was his youth, eagerness,
ambition and his great respect for the
(Continued on Page 31)
10
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
1946
and always -
Expect Continuance
of
THE BEST
in all
EASTMAN FILMS
and ditto in
BRULATOUR SERVICE
J. E. BRULATOUR, Inc
SIXTEEN GOES HOLLYWOOD
By RAY FERNSTROM, A. S. C.
BEFORE the war, both Technicolor
and Cinecolor were blowing up
sixteen to thirty-five with results
that reached general theatrical distribu¬
tion. None were features until Army,
Navy and Marine Corps films arrived.
Then sixteen grew up. Now it is quite
possible that the future will see entire
features shot in sixteen for blowup.
Several professional cameras are nearly
ready for such productions. Due to the
enlargement factor necessary, many new
features will be added or included in
these machines. Amateur color can be
enlarged but this is only another ex¬
ample of where only the professional
cinematographer and the tools of his art
can deliver the quality results demanded
by major producers.
Just the other day I viewed the
Mitchell Sixteen, a professional’s camera
which is a midget Mitchell NC. All the
detail of the bigger model is incorporated
in this lighter sixteen. A new tripod,
equally as rigid as its older brother looks
and acts professional. For the last ten
years Fve used every conceivable model
sixteen camera, both in and out of the
Army; those made here and abroad. Now
at long last we are beginning to get the
type of equipment we, the professionals,
need before we can consistently deliver
the same color quality photography we
are able to do in thirty-five.
Both the Mitchell Sixteen and the
Jnew Maurer, (which I haven’t seen)
promise the necessary accessories we re¬
quire. I for one, need a matte box and
sunshade with several filter and pola
screen holders. Otherwise it is impos¬
sible to control overall exposure on a
monopack type film. I use graduated
neutral density filters to hold back hot
skies. Often a pola screen at the same
time to darken the sky and accentuate
cloud effects. At the same time Harri¬
son color correcting filters need a holder.
The place to correct for color of light is
in the camera at time of shooting. This
is simplified with the Harrison Color and
Kelvin Meter in addition to a good ex¬
posure meter. I use a GE because I can
read through graduates and pola screens
(“2”) and thus balance exposures over¬
all for the scene.
Furthermore, I like a glass (coated
preferably) out in front on which I can
dab transparent color to heighten effects
where there is no actual color in the
scheme. To use so many pieces of optical
glass before a lens I have all lens and
filter elements coated here in Hollywood
by ACCRA Instruments. They do a good
job of balancing their coating for color,
Ray Fernstrom, A.S.C. with the new "Mitchell 14" camera.
using a brown tone on one side which is
neutralized by blue on the other. After
fcoating surfaces of lenses and filters I
suggest that tests be made to compen¬
sate your meter to the new speed of
your lenses and filter transmission.
The Mitchell Sixteen will have a pro¬
fessional matte box with standard thirty-
five lenses and mounts. Follow focus and
blimping will be the same simple routine
as with thirty-five Mitchells, except for
the adaptors.
With improved equipment, film, and
processes, sixteen will take over a great
deal of thirty-five’s heavy load of color
production both in sixteen distribution
and in thirty-five blowups, especially on
foreign and domestic type pictures that
will carry crews and equipment to the
far corners of the globe.
Quite a number of sixteen film features
have been made and released through
sixteen distributing channels and many
more are on the way. Several were
shot by A.S.C. members which more
than anything else proves that sixteen
is really “going Hollywood.” As more
and more A.S.C. men add their profes¬
sional touches to sixteen the results will
dignify the sixteen productions now
planned. After all, what difference does
the size of film make to a professional
photographer of either stills or motion
pictures? Sixteen needs A.S.C. men more
than workers in any other category.
This is even more apparent when such
originals are used in enlargement to
thirty-five Technicolor or other proces¬
ses. The original must be considered as
our negative and never viewed as a print.
A good original never should look good
if screened. Only the dupes or blowup
negatives or copies should have the
“look” of original Kodachrome or Ansco.
To get the necessary result is a matter
of tests and more tests, carrying the job
through to the print and then screening
that. On a recent feature at Monogram,
a 5-reel fashion film, I shot all scenes
with three different exposures. One for
color cutting, one for sixteen dupes and
one for Technicolor enlargement to nega¬
tives and prints by IB. From this ex¬
perience I used the resultant blowup
technique in shooting Howard Hill shorts
at Warners for Technicolor prints in
thirty-five.
On these shorts I use the Professional
0.1 Camera that was built by Bell &
Howell before the war. It is a profes¬
sional instrument in all details, but they
only built this one camera. It is owned
and was developed to it’s present stage
by Harry McMahan of United States
Motion Pictures. He and I shoot “Hol¬
lywood Mini-Tours” for blowup to Cine-
color with it. These films are released
nationally.
Last week I finished three feature-
length sixteen pictures in Kodachrome
(Continued on Page 26)
12
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
REVIEW OF THE FILM NEWS
V/yV^VvNAWvVAV^VWAVvNVAAV/AiVV'^^^/^V^W^^^^WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/
MOST important news of the past
month was the formation of
United World Pictures by Inter¬
national (Leo Spitz and William Goetz),
Universal, and British film tycoon J.
Arthur Rank. Deal has potentialities of
lifting Universal to position among the
top major companies of the business;
and — at this point — looks like a long-
range association of the three partici¬
pants for very interesting future ex¬
pansion and progress.
Stripping the formal announcement of
the formation to essential facts: United
World Pictures will tie in closely with
Rank’s present and future theatre in¬
terests in Great Britain, Canada, Aus¬
tralia, France, India, and other countries
to give substantial bookings of company
releases on a world-wide scale. If even¬
tually necessary to insure playdates
and proper showcasing of product in
the United States, theatres in key cities
may likely be either acquired or con¬
structed. But, from Universal’s record
of the past five years, and Interna¬
tional’s healthy key runs generally since
its formation two years ago, there seems
little need of American theatre tieups
to insure outlet of future productions.
Spitz-Goetz’ International Pictures,
Inc., which has been producing four top
features annually for RKO release, be¬
comes inactive; and new International
Pictures Corp. is being formed to carry
on, with joint ownership of Spitz-Goetz
and Universal. New International will
produce minimum of eight productions
annually; while Rank’s British pro¬
ducing units will also contribute the
same number of pictures for world re¬
lease. Added product goes through Uni¬
versal exchanges in the United States
and most of the foreign countries.
Eventual Universal Control?
Although it was definitely stated that
at this time there would be no sale of
any stock interest in Universal to either
Rank or Spitz-Goetz, some trade ob¬
servers figure that such a move might
eventuate in the near or distant future.
Rank already holds a 25% interest in
Universal through acquisition of Gen¬
eral Film Distributors of England. Lat¬
ter originally participated in the origi¬
nal financing setup which bought Uni¬
versal from the late Carl Laemmle, sr.,
for around $8,000,000 in 1936. If, as
might be possible, other financial inter¬
ests holding large blocks of Universal
stock might sell in the next year or so,
there is no question but what Spitz-
Goetz would pick up such offerings to
combine with Rank for operating con¬
trol of the company.
Universal’s First Combo
It is interesting to note that this is
the first time that Universal has par¬
ticipated in an amalgamation of any sort
in its long and colorful career. Origi¬
nally launched by Laemmle around 1910,
it kept independent through a 35 year
career for two records — (1) the oldest
continuing company, and (2) never an
amalgamation despite the tough going
at many points. But the present asso¬
ciation with Goetz-Spitz and Rank has
many advantages for old U ; bringing
in plenty of executive and production
manpower, talent, strong theatre affilia¬
tions world-wide, and top box office
talent in the star, director, producer
and writer fields. That’s why these ac¬
quisitions carry potentialities of lifting
the Universal structure up among
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount,
Warners and 20th Century-Fox, within
a reasonable time.
Watch Goetz
Although, on the surface, it would
appear that Rank, with his global
theatre holdings and financial control of
British film producing units, would be
the major factor in the United World
setup, the key executive appears to be
Goetz. The latter has made solid prog¬
ress in the past 12 years; generating
loyalty and enthusiasm of talent and
production personnel so necessary for
the successful production of motion pic¬
tures. Besides his personal abilities,
Goetz has the sage advice and counsel
of Louis B. Mayer, which cannot be
discounted. When it is recalled that
Mayer took two unprofitable studios —
Metro and Goldwyn — and quickly welded
together the greatest producing organi¬
zation of the industry; his guidance of
Goetz’ activities is invaluable in numer¬
ous ways.
Television Progress
The more plans for general television
broadcasts develop, the closer the new
medium veers away from the radio in¬
dustry into closest contact with motion
pictures. Utilization of motion pictures
for general television broadcasts rather
than live action, seems to be growing in
general acceptance within the inner
councils of television. During the past
few weeks, both Paramount and Disney
on the Pacific Coast have applied for
television transmitter permits.
Paramount, with a large interest in
DuMont, is probing a new angle on
theatre broadcasts of current events of
national interest. Paul Raiburn, an
executive assistant to Paramount presi¬
dent Barney Balaban, has been explor¬
ing the possibilities of televising a na¬
tional event into the large theatres of
the company’s circuit; with the receiving
houses having camera setup whereby
film could be made of the television
broadcast and the exposed film quickly
developed in a compact tank for pro¬
jection on the theatre screen as soon as
the main feature or other attraction is
completed. The idea has possibilities, as
it would overcome the difficulty of a
theatre requiring to stop a feature in
the middle in order to directly televise
an important happening directly onto
the screen. According to information at
hand, Paramount’s television channel
would broadcast the picture via a nega¬
tive image, so that take-off film in the
theatre would be a positive and not
require additional step of printing.
Disney, in applying for television sta¬
tions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and
San Diego, figures on a long-range
proposition which would eventually hook
the trio together via coaxial cable or
some other means. The cartoon pi’o-
ducer is figuring on production of films
for television broadcasts — with both car¬
toons and live action — and apparently
expects the three coast tele stations to
become showcases for his product made
for television advertisers.
20mm. for Theatres
For many years, the large producer-
distributor companies have ignored the
use of 16 mm. release prints for the¬
atrical showings in both this country
and abroad. However, the successful
Army and Navy circuits entertaining
personnel at and behind the far-flung
battlefronts, proved to the film officials
that the miniature films held great po¬
tentialities for theatrical use, especially
to expand distribution in the foreign
markets where heretofore many smaller
communities did not have the power fa¬
cilities, or could not support, the regu¬
lation 35 mm. size.
Major companies, with Loew’s Inter¬
national (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) in the
lead, are planning immediate availabil¬
ity of 16 mm. prints of entertainment
features for widespread expansion of
showing abroad — Central and South
America, Africa, the Near East, and
Asia.
In the United States, the distributors
have shied away from making the 16
mm. prints available for release. Basic
reason for this attitude is fear that such
prints would have to be booked to non¬
theatrical accounts, with resultant vig¬
orous complaints from the regular ex¬
hibitors that competition from the
schools, churches, and other locations
not classed as theatres, would be detri¬
mental to the regularly-operated show-
houses.
But the film companies, recognizing
the potentialities of expanding distribu-
(Continued on Page 34)
14
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
15
NO CHERRY BLOSSOMS
IN A
FACTORY
A Discussion on Photographing
Educational Motion Pictures
By WALTER WISE
(Editor's Note: Mr. Wise is head ot Tradefilms, which has been producing both commercial pictures and
training films for the armed services during the past six years. The author was previously with major studios
as a writer for eight years; and his experience in the two fields of film production qualifies him to compare
the mediums.)
THERE is absolutely no doubt
about it. In the next few years
educational motion pictures are
going to provide an increasing source of
income to cameramen. There is also no
doubt about another point. They are go¬
ing to earn every dollar they make.
We all know that even in the theatrical
field creative camera work does not al¬
ways receive the recognition or appre¬
ciation which it merits. If a cameraman
hears some one gush that “Ennatrude
Schlagenhopper looked positively rav¬
ishing,” he can interpret that as the ulti¬
mate compliment. Because, despite a
slight tendency to nymphomania on
Ermatrude’s part, very few people, con¬
sidering the world’s total population,
have had a good look at her before
Wheaties time.
On the credit side of the cameraman’s
ledger as long as he stays inside the
studio he has the art department, make¬
up men, set dressers and all the related
Cameras and lights must be adapted within space limitations when shooting factory training films. This
illustration, in which the author is rehearsing a machine operator, gives far more latiutde for setup
than is generally the case.
Factory machinery to be used for photographing
vocational training films should be either painted
or sprayed with gun-metal paint for best results.
crafts to help him. He even has the
sweater manufacturers on his side for
the benefit of audiences who can count
up to two. In a pinch he can even call
for a potted palm or a branch of cherry
blossoms. But there are no cherry
blossoms in a factory and sex appeal is
not standard equipment on turret lathes
or punch presses. Here the cameraman
is on his own, without studio resources,
often without adequate lighting facili¬
ties. All that he can rely on is his ex¬
perience and his ability.
At first thought this might seem a
harsh analysis or a result caused by
conditions which need not exist. But be¬
fore you reach a final conclusion, con¬
sider the conditions for yourself.
1. Training films should be photo¬
graphed at the actual scene of action,
even in cases where the equipment to be
used is small enough to be set up in a
studio. The background, the “feel of the
shop,” is of major importance in train¬
ing for any skill.
2. In a factory you will seldom find
sufficient clearance around your subject
to place the number of lights you would
like to use.
3. Low budgets are a constant buga¬
boo. This is not due to penny pinching
on anybody's part. The revenue from
training films simply does not permit
large production costs.
4. And don’t let’s forget the little
things such as camera-shy workers on
the demonstration machine, uneven
floors, low ceilings, cramped quarters
and trying to make yourself heard above
the gentle chorus of a battery of drop
hammers.
These are general conditions which
apply to training films as a whole. But
each new educational picture has its
own problems. Speaking now solely from
(Continued on P»ge 32)
16 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
New Lens For 6 & H Companion 8 Camera
A new 0.5 inch F2.8 lens for the B&H
8 mm. Companion Camera has been de¬
signed for the amateur cine-photographer
who doesn’t care to be bothered with a
light meter and F stops.
In addition to the standard F stops
another scale has been added. The sta¬
tionary ring is calibrated into two divi¬
sions, “Winter” and “Summer.” The
movable ring is divided by three lines
marked, “Bright,” “Hazy,” “Dull.” An
example of its operation is as follows:
If the line marked “Dull” is placed op¬
posite line marked “Winter,” the lens
diaphragm will be wide open at F2.8.
Conversely, if the line marked “Bright”
is placed opposite the indentation for
National Carbon Establishes
Technical Specialist Group
Expansion of the technical service
facilities of National Carbon Co. is ef¬
fected by establishment of a Technical
Specialists group for consultation on
more effective and efficient use of light¬
ing carbons for studio arcs and theatre
projectors.
E. R. Geib will direct overall activities
from the company’s Cleveland office;
with Charles W. Handley concentrating
solely on west coast studio lighting prob¬
lems and practices. His previous other
duties for the company have been dele¬
gated elsewhere to allow full time and
effort in the studio field. P. D. Ries will
headquarter in the east to handle both
“Summer” the lens diaphragm will be
at its smallest opening.
This new lens has been developed to
dispel the mystery surrounding F stops
that exists in numerous amateur minds.
Many people who formerly considered
home movie-making an intricate art will
be impressed with the simple manner of
determining correct diaphragm openings.
A glance at the sky, a twist of the
wrist, the diaphragm is accurately ad-
j usted !
Another innovation is the faster speed
of the new lens. Prior to the war, an
F3.5 lens was standard equipment on
the Filmo Companion Camera. The new
speed, F2.8, represents a great improve¬
ment.
studio and theatre lighting contacts,
while William C. Kunzman continues as
general representative in the national
field.
Moviola Expansion Plans
Mark Serrurier, after a number of
years on the staff of California Institute
of Technology during which time he was
in charge of structural design for the
200-inch telescope to be installed at
Mount Palomar and for the cooperative
wind tunnel, has formed Moviola Manu¬
facturing Co. Latter firm will be closely
associated with the Moviola Company
which is headed by his father, Iwan Ser¬
rurier.
Bell && Howell Companion 8 with its calibrations
which provide error-proof focusing — even for be¬
ginners. F-stop markings are also given for those
who prefer the latter.
Trego Starts Sports Series
in 16 mm.
Charles Trego is producing “Surf
Board Rhythm,” first of series of sports
shorts in 16 mm. at Telefilm Studios.
Reel depicts intricacies of surf board
riding as demonstrated by experts.
Olesen Co. Handles Commer¬
cial Sales on RCA 16 mm.
Sound Projectors
Otto K. Olesen Co. of Hollywood has
been appointed dealer for commercial
sales of RCA’s lines of 16 mm. sound
projectors. Sales and service depart¬
ments are being organized by Olesen Co.
for the RCA equipment.
^ National Carbon Company's Technical Specialists ^
E. R. GEIB C. W. HANDLEY P. D. RIES W. C. KUNZMANN
Cleveland Hollywood East National
18 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
■
FILM PROCESSING
EQUIPMENT IS THE ANSWER
TODAY’S business operations are being speeded and simplified by
the use of microfilm and motion pictures. By offering facilities
for fast, local processing of such film, the owner of Houston Film
Processing Equipment < an build a profitable, permanent business.
Users of film are everywhere. Mercantile establishments, financial
institutions, government agencies and others use microfilm for
copying and recording' Manufacturers and sales organizations use
both 16 mm. and 35 mm. motion pictures for training and sales.
Studios and photographic supply stores constantly need film
processing.
To these and scores of other users of film the Houston owner offers
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
19
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
Charles Ross, president of Brooklyn
Amateur Cine Club, is taking up per¬
manent residence in California, result¬
ing in Francis Sinclaire taking over
leadership of the organization. Sam
Charmatz and Irving Schertzer will as¬
sist Sinclaire in program planning.
Highlight of the November 28th
meeting was a lecture and demonstra¬
tion on film splicing by Sinclaire, and
film program which included: “Junior
Does His Bit,” by Martin Sternberg;
“Horse and Buggy Days,” by Charles
Ross; “Russian Easter,” by George
Serebrykoff; an 8mm. clinic film by
Mr. and Mrs. Leibowitz; and an outdoor
color subiect by Jay T. Fox.
Open discussion of the merits of 8mm.
in contrast to 16 mm. — or vice versa —
provided basis for a most interesting
meeting December 5 at the Hotel Bos-
sert, with program conducted by Her¬
bert Erles. Films presented for the
Eights were “World’s Fair” by Sam
Fass, and “Dear Fred” by Herbert
Erles; while the Sixteens were cham¬
pioned by “Hubby Finds a Hobby” by
Charles Benjamin, and “Mr. Bug Plays
Cupid” by Martin Sternberg.
Frank E. Gunnell delivered informa¬
tive and instructive talk on “Practical
Use of the Various Lenses in Movie
Work” at meeting held on Dec. 19th;
and several films were also on the pro¬
gram.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Ted Pope heads Utah Cine Arts Club
of Salt Lake City for 1946, as result
of recent election which selected other
officers as follows: Pete Larson, vice
president; A1 Londema, treasurer; Lor¬
raine Olson, secretary; and board of
director members including George
Brignand, Theo Merrill, Ed Madsen,
and LeRoy Hansen.
December 12th meeting of the club, in
addition to refreshments to celebrate
the holiday season, presented a fine pro¬
gram of films. Subjects included: “Per¬
petual Motion,” by Pete Larsen; “Lit¬
tle Co-Ed,” by Mrs. A1 Morton; “A Man’s
World,” by Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Han¬
sen; “Shots of Old Mexico,” by Ted
Pope, and reel of Flowers by Dr. Strom-
berg of Ogden Movie Club.
Annual banquet will be held at Hotel
Newhouse on January 16, at which time
program of prize-winning films will be
exhibited.
New York Eight
December meeting of New York Eight
Motion Picture Club was held on the
17th at Hotel Pennsylvania, with pro¬
gram including a novelty film by Fred
Evans of Hollywood, “Reaping the
Raindrops” by Lewis B. Reed and sev¬
eral new subjects of members.
Westwood Movie Club
December 8th meeting of Westwood
Movie Club, San Francisco, was mainly
devoted to election of officers for 1946.
Nominating committee, with endorse¬
ment of the executive committee, pre¬
sented slate as follows: president, Fred
Harvey; vice president, W. C. Johnson;
secretary, Leo M. Kerkhof; treasurer,
Larry Duggan.
Evening’s program of prize winning
pictures comprised: “Christmas Well
Spent,” by J. Allen Thatcher; “My Mas¬
ter and I Go A-Romping,” by Donald
Day; “The Careless Heiress,” by Eric
Unmack; “The Water Ouzel,” by Rudy
Arfsten; “Amphibious Attack,” by Andy
Coiner; and “Hail British Columbia!” by
Leo J. Heffernan.
January meeting on the 26th will be
a dinner affair at the Del Mar Restau¬
rant for installation of the new officers.
Syracuse Movie Makers
This progressive organization is now
on the hunt for new permanent quarters
for move by February 1st, and until
other location is found, corresponding
secretary D. Lisle Conway advises that
all communications should be addressed
to Syracuse Movie Makers Association,
44 West Calthrop Ave., Syracuse 5, New
York, N. Y. Present clubrooms are
being vacated due to raise in rent which
is not justified in view of the restricted
space and facilities available for the
members.
Cinema Club, San Francisco
E. L. Sargeant has been elected presi¬
dent of the Cinema Club of San Fran¬
cisco for 1946, succeeding Charles D.
Hudson. Other officers selected include:
L. J. Duggan, vice president; Rudolph
W. Arfston, secretary; Lloyd Littleton,
treasurer; and directors at large, Leon
Cagne, Dave Redfield, and Hudson.
Special Christmas dinner meeting was
staged for the December meeting on
the 18th, with fun generated through
contribution of novelty gifts not exceed¬
ing two bits in cost for Santa’s sock
and later presentation to the members
present. Appropriate holiday pictures
were also shown.
La Casa Club
D. M. Gardner was chairman of the
December 17th meeting of La Casa
Movie Club of Alhambra, California.
Film program of the evening included
several 16mm. subjects: “Nativity
Scene,” by Mrs. R. Gillmann; “A Mon¬
tana Garden,” by Dr. Elsie Schild-
wachter; “Fiji, Espirtu and Santo,” by
Lt. Commander J. A. Biren; and “Mex¬
ico, 1945,” by Guy Nelli.
Metropolitan
Special Christmas program was pre¬
sented at the December 20th meeting
of Metropolitan Motion Picture Club at
Hotel Pennsylvania, with 16mm. koda-
chrome films shown including: “Mohawk
Pals,” by Frank E. Gunnell; “Reflec¬
tions,” by Henry E. Hird; and “Snow
on the Mountain,” by Robert P. Kehoe.
J. Christian Vogel recited his own com¬
position, “The Tale of a Christmas
Tree.”
Supplemental meetings of Metropoli¬
tan, devoted to discussions of various
techniques of cinematography and prac¬
tices, are finding growing enthusiasm
among the members.
Leo Heffernan won first prize of $75
in Metropolitan’s general contest for
his “Land Snakes Alive.” Second prize
of $50 went to George Mesaros for
“Pointless Foray;” while Sidney Moritz
received third prize of $25 for “Wind¬
jammer.”
L.A. Cinema Club
Annual banquet of Los Angeles Cin¬
ema Club will be held Monday night,
January 7, at the Los Angeles Break¬
fast Club to get the organization off
to a fine start for 1946 activities.
Awards will be announced for winners
in the film contest, and the prize-win¬
ning subjects will be exhibited.
December meeting was held at the
Ebell Club on December 3rd, with mem¬
ber Harry C. Chapman presenting the
film program with two of his color sub¬
jects with sound recordings — “Hawaii
Calls,” and “Canada Holiday.”
Tri-City Cinema Club
Tri-City Cinema 'Club of Davenport,
Rock Island and Moline, held its sixth
annual Christmas banquet Friday, De¬
cember 14th, at Davenport Chamber of
Commerce building, with more than 100
members and friends attending.
Program of the evening included short
talks by members on interesting or diffi¬
cult shots experienced in photography;
pictures of the past three banquets; and
a 16 mm. Kodachrome subject “Music,”
which was composed by Harry Lytle and
three departments of the Davenport High
School.
January meeting of Tri-City will have
“Flowers,” by Marvin Russell; and
“Autumn and Spring,” by Miss Georgia
T. First. Symposium on movie films is
also on the program.
Color Experts Check Agfa
Plant
Group of American film engineers and
technicians are currently in Germany
checking all phases of manufacture and
processing of Agfa color film. Contingent
went abroad under wing of Department
of Commerce.
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Vfi ' . »
A llAlAf Hpn ■ jb& mm
Good to Know— NOW THAT
%?:■
MOVIE -MAKING TIME IS BACK
Kodak offers “coast-to-coast”
processing of Cine-Kodak Film
NOTE: Every carton of Cine-Kodak Film
contains a listing of Kodak Processing
Laboratories, both in the U. S. and
abroad, felling you where your Cine-
Kodak Film may be “finished" without
additional charge.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
Automatic Focus Devices
(Continued from Page 9
lock type motors to transmit the move¬
ment of the dolly to the photographing
lens. As can easily be seen, this does
not restrict the movement of the camera
in any way. The only connection be¬
tween the receiver motor and lens as¬
sembly, and the motor which is activated
by the cam and gear assembly, is a
flexible cable containing only the motor
wires. Hence, it can be seen that the
camera may be tilted up or down or
panned to right or left without any
hindrance whatsoever.
A standard Mitchell camera is used
1 6mm
and
35mm
SERVICES
To
Film Producers
Quality backed by 40
years in the cinema labo¬
ratory and equipment
field.
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CL
o
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★ Kodachrome Reproduc¬
tions
★ Blowups and Reductions!
★ Black and White Films
★ Slide Films
★ Titles
★ Sound Recording
A Sound Stage
★ Portable Sound Unit
★ Vault Storage Service
★ Projection Service
Both 16mm. and 35mm.
All in One Package
HOLLYWOOD
COLORFILM
CORPORATION
230 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, Cal.
Phone CH 8-5554
on the unit, which is equipped with a
50-mm Bausch & Lomb Baltar, f/2.3
lens in a standard Mitchell lens mount.
To the lens mount a ring gear was
mounted which is meshed with the con¬
trol gear of the receiver motor assembly.
The 50-mm lens can be focused auto¬
matically from 50 feet to 18 inches.
Within these limits, no matter where
the dolly is moved or at what speed it
is moved, the lens is always automati¬
cally held in sharp focus.
The benefits derived from this unit
are numerous. One advantage of its use
has been a great saving in both time
and labor. Before the unit was in opera¬
tion it was necessary to use as many
as six men to complete a difficult follow
shot. In some instances scenes of this
nature required a camera operator, and
assistant cameraman to change focus,
one or two men to push the dolly, a
fifth man to call out footage marks
usually marked on the floor, and possibly
a sixth man to carry the camera motor
cable back and forth as the dolly was
moved. As mentioned before, the com¬
mon practice was to photograph the
scene many times hoping that at least
one of the “takes” all of the technicians
connected with the scene had coordi¬
nated and synchronized their operations
correctly. This, of course, required a
great amount of time, an abnormal
waste of film, and usually a crew of
from four to six men. With the use of
the automatic electric dolly most of these
disadvantages were eliminated. No mat¬
ter how difficult the scene, the unit
requires the use of only two men — the
camera operator and the dolly operator.
The only function of the camera oper¬
ator is to start and stop the camera
and to operate the pan and tilt head if
this should be necessary. The dolly
operator controls the movement of the
dolly, and all other necessary operations
are performed automatically.
Since the unit has been in use it has
been found that there are few occasions
where it is necessary to make more
than one take of the scene. The saving
in film because of this advantage can
be recognized at once.
In conjunction with the development
of the automatic follow-focus electric
camera dolly, a similar device was de¬
veloped to accomplish the same results
on a permanently installed Insert and
Title Stand. (See Fig. 4). In many
cases it was found to be more conve¬
nient to mount certain maps, titles, and
other special objects on a title board
which was placed in an upright position
and attached to a lathe bed. The cam¬
era was mounted on a movable pedestal
which in turn was mounted on a smooth
raceway. This raceway was substituted
for the original lathe rack and con¬
structed in such a way as to permit the
camera to be moved back and forth on
it. When the unit was put into use,
approximately the same problems pre¬
sented themselves as before. It was
even more difficult to change focus ac¬
curately when moving the camera, for
the shots made with this unit usually
required a higher degree of accuracy
both in focusing and framing. It was
necessary to design the equipment in
such a manner so as to allow the 3 inch
camera lens to approach the title board
or target as close as 12 inches.
Because of the complex nature of
certain shots, it was also decided that
there would be a distinct advantage in
being able to move the title board auto¬
matically in either a horizontal or ver¬
tical direction. To accomplish these
features, the unit was reconstructed in
the following manner.
The title board part of the installation
is made to move in a horizontal and
vertical direction by means of two
Bodine speed reducer-type animation
motors. One of these motors powers
the horizontal movement, the other the
vertical. The single frame feature per¬
mits small precise moves for straight
or animation work. The reversing
switches provide directional control. The
speed adjustments allow speed control
for board movements. Both motors are
geared down by 12 to 1 reducer boxes.
This smooths out the movements and
gives proper basic speed. The follow
focus is effected by mounting a contour
strip, complementary to the linear
movement of a three inch rack type of
lens along the side of the lathe bed. A
small ball-bearing roller makes contact
with this contour. A shaft connects the
roller bearing to the shaft of a Diehl-
type Selsyn generator motor via reduc¬
tion gears. The action of the ball bear¬
ing as it follows the contour strip acti¬
vates the generator which electrically
transmits identical turns to the receiv¬
ing Selsyn motor’s shaft. On the end
of the shaft of this motor, a small gear
engages and activates the rack and
pinion gear directly attached to the rack
lens mount itself.
In the actual practice of cinema¬
tography at the Signal Corps Photo¬
graphic Center, both of these devices
have been used with a great deal of
satisfaction by the cinematographers
who are charged with the responsibility
of making these difficult shots. During
peak periods of production they have
enabled the Camera Branch to complete
many different scenes of this type where
formerly it was possible to complete
only a limited number.
It is felt that this dolly with the
automatic focus device could be very
successfully utilized in television camera
operations because of its remote control
and pre-set switch features. Another
suggested use »for this unit would be
in connection with rear projection or
process photography where it might be
advantageous to dolly the projector in
and out during a scene.
The writers wish to express their
appreciation to the Pictorial Engineer¬
ing and Research Laboratory Division
and the Central Machine Shop Branch
of the Signal Corps Photographic Cen¬
ter for their cooperation and valuable
assistance in the design and construction
of these devices.
22
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
FITTING A FILM TO MUSIC
By HAROLD RAWLINSON
r^>OONER or later the amateur movie
maker will feel the urge to make a
serious film. I suppose most of us
pass through the same school in gaining
our experience. Starting with the fam¬
ily — long-suffering and willing models —
we progress to a film about our dog and
cat, then on to the holiday record at
the seaside, the tour with the car, the
local sports, the carnival, and, if we are
lucky, a record of some historical event
like a jubilee or a coronation.
You have probably added other sub¬
jects to your personal library of home¬
made films. In making these subjects
we were working along conventional
lines most of the time. The structure of
the film is more or less established by
the sequence of events, but the treat¬
ment and the way we handle the sub¬
ject can be as varied as the pebbles on
the beach. In this article I want to
suggest a new angle of approaching the
making of a film — at least it will be
new to the majority of amateur movie
makers.
Today, no serious cine enthusiast
would think of showing his silent films
without a musical background added by
means of gramaphone records and
amplifier. Even then, with twin turn¬
tables and a selection of hundreds of
records from which to choose, the result
will always be a makeshift. Why not,
then, make a film to fit a particular
piece of music? By doing this there
would be tremendous scope for our
imagination, and although Walt Disney
has shown us how it can be achieved
in an animated cartoon (“Fantasia”),
the possibilities in the use of straight
photography are endless.
Hundreds of musical compositions
would lend themselves easily to filmic
treatment — and this need not in any
way be injurious to the music. Artisti¬
cally and sympathetically handled, the
music will — in most cases — become more
interesting to the majority. A few
“purists” might object — but these gen¬
tlemen may never see your films, so
they will not suffer any sleepless nights.
Well, then, what about the choice of
subject?
Good music will demand a good film.
Do not vulgarize a masterpiece by fitting
a frivolous idea. First-class poetry re¬
quires first-class music — and we must
not cheapen another man’s work. De¬
cide on the piece of music you are going
to illustrate photographically — then let
the subject gradually take shape in your
mind, blossoming out into a complete
film in perfect sympathy and mood with
the music. Choose something good, and
aim high. You very soon tire of poor
This article appeared in Nov. 16, 1945, issue of "The
British Journal of Photography", and is reprinted by
permission.
music. Remember always that the idea
which you are going to put in your film
must keep to the rhythm of the music.
A slowly unfolding idea cannot be set
to music which is full of short phrases
and melodies ; in this case we should
want our music to flow on — un-ending.
You need not be a practical musician,
and knowledge of musical theory and
harmony will not be a necessity, al¬
though an advantage. As long as you
have an artistic feeling and a sense of
the fitness of things the results should
be good. Undoubtedly Walt Disney has
been the greatest fitter of films to
music — something quite different from
fitting music to films. The progress
achieved from some of his early Silly
Symphonies to the masterly episodes in
“Fantasia” is remarkable. Such works
as a Beethoven Symphony and Mous-
sorksgy’s “A Night on a Bare Moun¬
tain” were not cheapened by being the
inspiration of Disney’s work.
There have been many beautiful bal¬
lets arranged to music which was never
intended to be used in a choreographic
setting. A Symphony by Haydn, a move¬
ment from Mendelssohn’s Violin Con-
(Continued on Page 29)
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lA/ith the deriving
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U. S. A.
Cable Address “Fonda’"
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1
“The Machine That Cannot Break Your Film
American Cinematographer • January, 1946 23
Using Your Movie Camera As
A Motion Picture Step Printer
By JAMES R. OSWALD
Few amateurs are aware that in their
own movie camera, whether 8 or 16mm,
providing it isn’t of the magazine load¬
ing type, they have the facilities not
only for making copies of cherished
movies, but for making prints from
negative films, as well. Without any
alterations whatsoever to the camera,
it is made to serve as a simplified ver¬
sion of a motion picture step printer,
by merely following the few, easy steps
outlined here.
The process requires that the two
films, the original and the unexposed,
be run through the mechanism in con¬
tact, and exposed to a light source. The
loading operation is carried on in the
darkroom, where both films are spooled
together on the supply reel, emulsion to
emulsion, in such a way that, when
threaded, the shiny side of the original
will be nearest the lens. Threading is
done as usual, with the exception that
larger loops are left in the original
film, to prevent jamming. Before re¬
placing camera cover, run off a few
frames, making sure that the sprockets
properly engage both thicknesses of film.
Any length scene up to one-half the
capacity of the camera may be handled
with one threading.
Exposures may be made either indoors
or out, although artificial light is pre¬
ferred, since it is more uniform, and
therefore more easily controlled. An
ordinary or 10 watt lamp placed 8
or 10 inches from the camera provides
plenty of illumination under average
circumstances. There are a number of
variables that enter into selecting the
proper lens stop to use, such as the
density of the original film, speed of
the unexposed film, operating speed of
the camera, and of course, distance from
lamp to lens, and intensity of the lamp,
itself, and for this reason it is necessary
to determine by actual test the proper
setting under the conditions with which
you will operate. Once these factors are
established, however, if they are per¬
mitted to remain constant, no difficulty
will arise in trying to duplicate results,
especially if some sort of a table is set
up to use as a guide. For a starting
point upon which to conduct first experi¬
ments, select a film of normal density,
and use in connection with a medium
lens stop.
Outdoors, the camera may be pointed
at the blank sky, or aimed toward a
clear white card reflecting the direct
rays of the sun. As in the case of
artificial light, there are a number of
things to be taken into consideration
here, too, in determining correct ex¬
posure, with the addition of the con¬
stantly changing conditions encountered
in natural light. All this not as a word
of discouragement, but rather to fore¬
warn the enthusiast of the pitfalls to
avoid.
As to the most suitable type of film
to use, generally speaking, the slower
the speed, the better. As a rule, most
slow emulsions are finer grained, which
is very much desirable in movie films,
and since motion picture printing doesn’t
require extreme sensitivity anyway, are
ideal from this angle, to say nothing of
the economy standpoint.
Perhaps the most economical of all,
and certainly the easiest to handle in
the darkroom, is the ordinary “positive”
type film, for those who can content
themselves with black and white pic¬
tures, since it is made expressly for
laboratory work, and sells for $1.00 per
hundred feet, in 16mm size, not includ¬
ing developing, however. Developing
may be done by any one of a number
of independent processing laboratories
for an additional charge of approxi¬
mately $1.00, since, although the film
(Continued on Page 30)
I. (above) The operation is carried on in the darkroom where both films
are spooled together on the supply reel, emulsion to emulsion; in such
manner that — when threaded — shiny side of original will be nearest lens.
(Dark colored film represents the original; light colored the unexposed stock).
2. (Upper right) Look closely and note difference in loop sizes between
the two films. Thread as usual, with exception that larger loops are left
in original film, to prevent jamming. Before replacing camera cover, run
off few frames to insure sprockets engage both thicknesses of film.
3. (Right) Exposures may be made either indoors or out, although arti¬
ficial light, more uniform for easier control, is prefered. Ordinary T/i or
10 watt lamp 8 or 10 inches from camera provides sufficient illumination on
average.
24 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Now available to camera owners and dealers — "Pro¬
fessional Junior” standard and baby tripods, "Hi-Hats,"
alignment gauges, portable dollys, collapsible triangles,
etc. They are used by the U. S. Navy, Army Air Bases,
Office of Strategic Services, Signal Corps and other Gov't
agencies — also by leading Newsreel companies, 16mm
and 35mm motion picture producers.
Acclaimed the finest for every picture¬
taking use, "Professional Junior" tripods
are compact, versatile, rugged. Super¬
smooth 360° pan and 80° tilt action;
positive, simple, leg-height adjustments;
compact and light (weighing 14 lbs.);
allowing 72" high and 42" low usability —
no finer tripod is made. The inset shows
the full tripod mounted on our all-metal
Collapsible Triangle which is used to pre¬
vent tripod from slipping when used on
hard or slippery surfaces.
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Trade Mark Reg.
II . S. Pat. Office
Tripod handles all 16mm cameras, includ¬
ing EK Cine Special, Bolex, etc., even
when motor driven and with large film
magazines.
Knurled knob, easily accessible, fastens
any make camera on top-plate.
Rubber-gripped guide handle is remov¬
able, fastens under tripod when carried.
Large knurled knob adjusts tilt action
tension.
Wing lock for positive setting of tilt head
if fixed angle is desired.
Very large trunnion insures super-smooth
tilt action with minimum wear.
Tilt head design permits extremely wide
arc of high and low tilt action .
Wing lock for adjusting pan movement
tension. Also acts as positive lock in any
position.
”L" level aids in setting tripod to true
horizontal and vertical position.
Tie-down rings permit using tripod on
moving platforms such as dollys, auro
roofs, etc.
Non-loosening nuts hold legs on base
securely.
Maple, long-grained, hand-rubbed, splin¬
ter-proof, weather and warp-proofed is
used for tripod legs.
Quick-release fluted knobs set between
each leg afford positive locking in con¬
trolling tripod height adjustments.
Tripod Head Unconditionally Guaranteed 5 Years
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
25
Now available to all home movie-makers— the new
Bell & Howell lens-cleaning fluid, Filmo OPTI-K.LEEN.
Especially developed for cleaning coated lens surfaces,
yet equally efficient on all noncoated surfaces. Ask your
B&H dealer for
FILMO OPTI-KLEEN . ...
CLEANS COATED LENSES
Filmo FiKh Cement
V
Order from your B&H deal¬
er or from Bell & Howell
Company, 7148 McCormick
Road, Chicago 45.
(and noncoated surfaces, too)
Bell & Howell coated lenses
reduce reflection, provide
improved picture definition.
For splicing both nitrate and
acetate film, B&H labora¬
tories have developed a new
combination film cement.
Quick-setting, it forms a
splice of unusual strength.
Does not deteriorate in the
bottle. Ask for the new
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
Sixteen Goes Hollywood
(Continued from Page 12)
sixteen at Rockett Productions. These
were shot with a Cine-Special to which
has been added many Hollywood gadgets,
such as automatic dissolve mechanism,
Mitchell Finder, Magnified image on
ground glass for better composing. The
results were very good but we needed
four hundred foot magazines at various
times. On that job we shot everything
including special effects and titles com¬
bined with live action, and animation
combined with live action, which was ac¬
complished with short lap dissolves giv¬
ing a very unusual effect. In one se¬
quence a man paints with a dry brush
and all the colors of the rainbow flow
from it as he paints. Many glass shots
combined with live action were used in
sixteen color with excellent results.
Sixteen production will undoubtedly
grow larger in the major studios in 1946,
to supplement their thirty-five standard
size. If such films are never released in
the United States, many will find eager
audiences all over the rest of the world.
American documentary and propaganda
films should certainly be made that the
rest of the world might know us better.
In exchange we have a tremendous six¬
teen consumption of foreign films of
commensurate quality, which opens a
new field for the American Professional
Cinematographer, especially A.S.C. mem¬
bers who are known in all foreign lands
from their credits on the Hollywood
product.
Thirty-five films are limited to thea¬
ters, whereas sixteen film has a ready
market throughout the world. One has
only to look in a few of the many mag¬
azines devoted to Industrial, Lecture,
School, Business and Advertising films to
see the opportunities. My earnest hope is
that Hollywood goes as thoroughly for
sixteen as sixteen is “GOING HOLLY¬
WOOD.”
Gadget Auctions for
Added Club Interest
That regular gadget auction of the
Cincinnati Camera Club, founded in 1884
to rate as the oldest photographic
group in this country, should give offi¬
cers anil program chairmen of ama¬
teur cine clubs an idea for incorporation
in meeting programs two or three times
yearly which can generate plenty of in¬
terest among members.
According to an Associated Press
story of several weeks ago, the Cincin¬
nati club conducts a gadget auction pe¬
riodically, with members bringing along
discarded or unwanted photographic
materials or supplies for bidding by
other members. The event has become
an integral part of club affairs, and
practically every member brings along
some piece of photographic material to
go on the auction block — and in turn, he
picks up something else that he has
wanted to try out for a long time.
NOTES ON SPLICING
By Francis Sinclaire
President, Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
The process of joining two films to¬
gether by using film cement is gen¬
erally believed to be the gluing or ce¬
menting together by the use of an ad¬
hesive substance. This is incorrect. The
film cement actually softens the acetate
base of the film and when joined with
the other piece under pressure the re¬
sult is similar to a weld. A perfectly-
made splice should be just as strong as
the film itself.
There are two methods of removing
the emulsion before applying the ce¬
ment. One is the dry splice and the
other the wet splice. For the dry splice
the emulsion is removed with a file¬
like implement which scrapes off the
emulsion. With the wet splice, water is
used with a suitable scraper to soften
and remove the emulsion. The dry splice
is more popular and is considered to be
superior. The wet method’s chiei draw¬
back is that it is likely to buckle the
film; also the cement will not soften the
base properly if too much moisture is
present. With the dry splice, care must
be taken to see that the file does not
cut too deeply, and that the emulsion
is removed evenly.
Frank Gunnell Wins
Maxim Award
Frank E. Gunnell, fellow of the Ama¬
teur Cinema League and prominent
member of Metropolitan Motion Picture
Club of New York, won the Hiram
Percy Maxim Memorial Award for 1945.
Winning entry was Gunnell’s “While the
Earth Remaineth.”
New Filmosound Library
Features Announced
NORTH STAR (11 reels)
Samuel Goldwyn’s first 16mm. re¬
lease — an epic film of the “little” people
of a peaceful Russian village, over-run
by ruthless invaders, and the final tri¬
umph of right and humanity. (Anne
Baxter, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston,
Ann Harding. Story by Lillian Heilman,
direction by Lewis Milestone).
ALLERGIC TO LOVE (Universal)
(7 reels)
Romantic comedy with modern scene
that assures countless laughs. Matri¬
monial and business merger between air¬
plane and motor families periled by
comic allergy, finally routed in very
funny surprise ending. (Noah Beery,
Jr., Martha O’Driscoll, David Bruce).
Available from January 21, 1946 for ap¬
proved non-theatrical audiences.
CATCHING CROCODILES (10 min.)
Methods of trapping and netting croco¬
diles. Includes both fresh water and salt
water species, nests, eggs. (Produced in
Australia) .
26
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
New Orthicon Television Tube
(Continued from Page 7)
images from interference due to ex¬
ploding photo flash bulbs and other
sudden bursts of brilliant light.
4. Smaller size of tube, facilitating
use of telephoto lens.
5. Type of design that lends itself
to use in lightweight, portable television
camera equipment.
6. Improved gain control system that
provides unvarying transmission, de¬
spite wide fluctuations of light and
shadow.
How the Tube Works
Resembling a large tubular flashlight
in size and appearance, the advanced
development model of the Image Orthi¬
con has an overall length of about 15
inches, with the shank about two inches
in diameter and the head about 3 inches
in diameter and 3 inches long. It has
three main parts: An electron image
section, which amplifies the photoelectric
current; an improved Orthicon-type
scanning section, smaller and simpler
than those built before the war; and an
electron multiplier section, the function
of which is to magnify the relatively
weak video signals before transmission.
The principle which makes the new
tube super-sensitive to low light levels
is similar to that which enables RCA’s
multiplier phototube to measure star¬
light. This principle, known as second¬
ary electronic emission, involves the
use of electrons emitted from a primary
source as missiles to bombard a target
or a series of targets, known as stages
or dynodes, from each of which two or
more electrons are emitted for each
electron striking it.
Light from the scene being televised
is picked up by an optical lens system
and focused on the photo-sensitive face
of the tube, which emits electrons from
each illuminated area in proportion to
the intensity of the light striking the
area.
Streams of electrons, accelerated by
a positive voltage applied to a grid
placed directly behind the photo-sensi¬
tive face and held on parallel courses
by an electromagnetic field, flow from
the back of the photo-sensitive face to
a target. Secondary emission of elec¬
trons from the target, caused by this
bombardment, leaves on the target a
pattern of varying positive charges
which corresponds to the pattern of
light from the scene being televised.
The back of the target is scanned by
a beam of electrons generated by an
electron gun in the base of the tube, but
the electrons making up this beam are
slowed down so that they will stop just
short of the target and turn back until
it again approaches a positively charged
section.
The returning beam, with picture in¬
formation imposed upon it by the vary¬
ing losses of electrons left behind on
the target, is directed at the first of a
series of dynodes near the base of the
tube; secondary electrons “knocked out”
of this electrode by the bombardment
strike a second dynode, and this pro¬
cess continues, with the strength of the
signal multiplying at each stage until
it reaches the signal plate and is car¬
ried out of the tube through an ex¬
ternal connection.
Men Who Developed the Image Orthicon
Credit for the tube’s development
goes to three members of the RCA re¬
search staff: Dr. Albert Rose, Dr. Paul
K. Weimer, and Dr. Harold B. Law. The
project is a continuation of RCA Lab¬
oratories’ work on the pick-up tube over
the past 20 years under the direction of
Dr. V. K. Zworykin, associate director
of RCA Laboratories. During part of
that period, the work was headed by
B. J. Thompson, associate director of
the laboratories, who was killed in ac¬
tion overseas in July, 1944, while on a
special' mission for the Secretary of
War.
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
27
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members
Santa Anita Track Contracts
Telefilm
Santa Anita racetrack has signed con¬
tracts with Telefilm whereby latter will
photograph all of the races via the Tele¬
film control system as originally used
last summer at Hollywood Park. Films
in 16 mm. size, are shot of every foot
of a race from special camera towers
spotted around the course and the indi¬
vidual clips are developed and assembled
within 10 minutes for photographic view¬
ing of each race by the judges if neces¬
sary.
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6039 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, California
As this issue of American Cine¬
matographer goes to press, A.S.C. Di¬
rectors of Photography are assigned to
the following feature productions:
Columbia Studios
Joseph Walker, “The A1 Jolson Story”
(Technicolor).
Charles Lawton, Jr., “The Walls Came
Down” with Lee Bowman and Marguerite
Chapman.
Mtro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Charles Rosher, “The Yearling” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Gregory Peck and Jane
Wyman.
Les White, “Army Brat” with “Butch”
Jenkins.
Ray June, “But Not Goodbye,” with
Frank Morgan and Keenan Wynn.
Charles Salerno, Jr., “Faithful in My
Fashion,” with Donna Reed, Tom Drake,
Edward Everett Horton, and Spring By-
ington.
Sid Wagner, “Fiesta” (Technicolor),
with Esther Williams and John Carroll.
Hal Rosson, “Three Wise Fools,” with
Margaret O’Brien, Lionel Barrymore,
Lewis S'mne, Edward Arnold and Thomas
Mitchell.
Monogram Studios
Ben Kline, “Joe Palooka, Champ,” with
Joe Kirkwood, Elyse Knox, Leon Errol,
Joe Louis.
William Sickner, ‘Charlie Chan at Al¬
catraz,” with Sidney Toler.
Paramount
Ray Rennahan, “California” (Techni¬
color), starring Ray Milland, Barbara
Stanwyck, Barry Fitsgerald.
Lee Garmes, “The Searching Wind,”
(Hal Wallis Prod.), with Robert Young,
Sylvia Sidney, Ann Richards.
RKO Studios
Harry Wild, “Till the End of Time,”
with Dorothy McGuire, Guy Madison,
Bob Mitchum, William Gargan, Harry
Von Zell.
Milton Krasner, “Without Reserva¬
tions” (Jesse Lasky Prod.), starring
Claudette Colbert and John Wayne.
Robert De Grasse, “Crack-Up,” with
Pat O’Brien, Claire Trevor, Herbert Mar¬
shall and Wally Ford.
Ted Tetzlaff, “Notorious,” starring
Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman.
George Barnes, “Sister Kenny,” with
Rosalind Russell, Alexander Knox, Dean
Jagger.
Frank Redman, “Step By Step,” with
Lawrence Tierney and Anne Jeflreys.
Republic Studios
John Alton, “One Exciting Week,” with
A1 Pearce and Mary Treen.
20th Century-Fox
Ernest Palmer, “Three Little Girls in
Blue” (Technicolor), with June Haver,
Vivian Blaine, George Montgomery,
Frank Latimore.
Harry Jackson, “Strange Triangle,”
with Signe Hasso, John Sheppard, Ana-
bel Shaw.
Leon Shamroy, “The Shocking Miss
Pilgrim” (Technicolor), starring Betty
Grable and Dick Haymes.
Ar hur Miller, “Anna and the King of
Siam,” starring Irene Dunne and Rex
Harrison, with Linda Darnell and Gale
Sondergaard.
Norbert Brodine, “Somewhere in the
Night,” with John Hodiak, Nancy Guild,
Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte.
Joe MacDonald, “The Dark Comer,”
with Lucille Ball, William Bendix, Mark
Stevens, Clifton Webb.
Joseph La Shelle, “Cluny Brown,” with
Charles Boyer, Jennifer Jones, Helen
Walker, Sir Aubrey Smith.
United Artists
Bob Pittack, “The Sin of Harold Did-
dlebock,” wi‘h Harold Lloyd, Frances
Ramsden, Raymond Walburn, Rudy Val-
lee, Edgar Kennedy.
Lucion Andriot, “The Strange Wo¬
man,” with Hedy Lamarr, George San¬
ders, Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart.
Universal
Joseph Valentine, “Genius in the
Family” (Skirball-Manning Prod.), star¬
ring Myma Loy, Don Ameche.
Woody Bredell, “Notorious Gentle¬
man,” with Kent Taylor and Virginia
Grey.
Warner Brothers
Sol Polito, “Escape Me Never,” star¬
ring Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino.
Wesley Anderson, “The Beast With
Five Fingers,” with Robert Alda, Andrea
King, Peter Lorre, J. Carroll Naish.
Arthur Edeson, “Two Guys From
Milwaukee,” with Dennis Morgan, Jack
Carson, Joan Leslie, S. Z. Sakall.
Ernest Haller, “Humoresque,” starring
Joan Crawford and John Garfield; with
Oscar Levant, Ruth Nelson.
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LEWIS SOUND FILMS
New York 19, N. Y.
28
January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Fitting Film to Music
(Continued from Page 23)
certo, a Sonata by Liszt, a Symphony
by Tchaikowsky, are just a few of the
many which come to mind.
There is no reason at all why we
should not take a piece of music and
build up a photographic picture or story
upon its framework.
Here are some practical suggestions
which can be taken as some indication
of the possibilities of making a film to
fit a record.
Sibelius. Prelude to “The Tempest”
A wonderful piece of pictorial writing.
An abstract film fitted to this would be
a joy to make.
(Shots: Wind swept trees, bending-
grasses and scattering leaves, falling
branches, swirling smoke. The music
paints the picture of a fierce gale, but
just before the close of the music the
tempest subsides and there is a most
moving picture in tones of the desola¬
tion which is left in the wake of the
storm. The camera could easily show the
pathos of a fallen tree, the limb of an
old oak torn from its body by the force
of the wind, the heaped-up pile of leaves,
the damaged gate, and so on).
In a simple way a most moving film
could be created to this Sibelius Prelude.
Bach. Prelude in E flat Minor
(Vol. 1, No. 8)
This is such a noble piece of music that
only the most inspiring subject could be
linked with it. A photographic study of
a great cathedral — the camera to tell the
story as our own eyes would silently
take in the beauties of the glorious pile.
(Do not use any sub-titles during the
Prelude.)
Honegger. “Pacific 231”
A picture in sound of an American
stream-liner. What a magnificent oppor¬
tunity for someone to add a musical pic¬
ture to this most stirring rhythmic piece
of music.
Delius. Summer Night on a River
A most delicate poem in music. Would
want very careful treatment; but the
camera used imaginatively could produce
a delightful film.
Delibes. Scarf Dance
If you know the mistress of a ballet
school or dancing class, suggest that you
film the students. See that the dance
(either the one mentioned above or any
other number) is always performed to
the gramaphone record you are going to
use. The timing will then always be the
same. (No two performances in the flesh
are ever alike.) Take a number of angle
shots and enjoy many hours cutting and
editing your film.
Gounod. Funeral of a Marionette
Have any of your friends got a puppet
theatre — or do you know of a local pup¬
pet theatre club? If so, there is plenty
of scope for your camera.
Saint-Saens. Scherzo from Piano Con¬
certo No. 2
An intriguing number which suggests
a number of impish subjects.
Liadov. Enchanted Lake
I have visualized a film for this musi¬
cal gem — but it would be very difficult
to do without much time and many dis¬
appointments.
Additional Musical Ideas
Here are a few subjects for which ap¬
propriate music could easily be found.
The bustle of a rush hour in a town.
The Saturday market.
The movement of water.
The village.
Trees.
Sunday morning in the park.
Water numphs.
Tempo Picture to the Music
Your film will have to have the same
form, balance and climax as the music,
and nothing will be more intriguing than
figuring this out. The possibilities are,
of course, endless.
Having decided on the piece of music
which you are going to photographically
illustrate, play the record through many
times. Get the music right under your
skin. Then analyze the music mentally;
notice how it changes its time, mood and
color. Possibily the music will be in one
characteristic mood throughout. You will
have to get this into your picture —
perhaps this would be better described
as “atmosphere.” If it is a 12-inch
record it will probably play for 3% to
four minutes, so get together a hundred
feet of 16 mm. film (50 ft. of 8 mm.)
of any of your odd shots joined together.
(Every worker will soon have plenty
of thrown-out footage which can be
joined together in any odd way.) Then
play the record through while showing
your 100 ft. of miscellaneous shots. Make
a first rough note as to where the music
changes to a different rhythm or to a
different melody (all music is built up
in some sort of order. Themes are re¬
peated and contrasting themes added.)
All this should be noted on a chart as a
record of the footage. Then, from the
scenes jotted down, it will be simple to
measure the amount of feet or number
of frames required for a particular
scene. This is a much better method than
timing the scene with a watch — because
as you look on the screen you can easily
make a mental note of the change. Jot¬
ting down the times on a piece of paper
as you look at a watch is a difficult
job.
Finally, see that you have nice titles.
Acknowledge the composer of the music
in a subtitle. Explain as much as you can
at the beginning. Subtitles in the course
of the film will interrupt the flow of the
music. Do not start the music until all
the titles have been shown. After a little
practice at timing the film, you will
know just when to gently push the needle
(a fibre one!) into the first groove.
(Editor’s Note: Those who use music
for synchronization with a film are cau¬
tioned against any public performances
of copyrighted musical compositions. Ac¬
cording to a representative of American
Society of Composers, Authors and Pub¬
lishers — which controls the licensing for
public performance of most popular and
classical compositions — numbers on rec¬
ords can be played in conjunction with
film in homes or before private groups
without incurring copyright violations.
However, ASCAP takes the position that
any performance of a record for an au¬
dience where admission is either direct
or indirect, comes under its regulations
for licensing. Even reproduction before a
movie club comes under copyright per¬
formance regulations, according to AS¬
CAP, in that members pay annual dues
which are claimed as indirect admissions
for showings.)
16-1966 DeVry 16mm sound-on-
film projector.
The 3-Purpose Projector
Built like a fine watch — powered
by a steady smooth-running motor
and mechanism that purrs through
reel after reel without a flutter or
a jump — so simple, a 12-year-old can
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16mm. Sound-On-Film Projector.
The new DeVRY is a 3-purpose unit:
(1) That SAFELY projects both
sound and silent films ;
(2) that shows BOTH black-
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without extra equipment;
and
(3) whose separately housed 25
watt amplifier and sturdy
12-inch electro-dynamic
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Shoot your movies with a DeVRY
35mm. or 16mm. camera — the cam¬
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for their personal use.
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
29
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Camera as Step Printer
(Continued from Page 24)
is put out by all standard manufactur¬
ers, such as Eastman, Ansco, and
DuPont, none of these manufacturers
undertake to process this particular type
film.
Color film should not be attempted
to be used until satisfactory results with
black and white have been attained. To
do so is a costly proposition. Black and
white, on the other hand, is not only
less expensive, and easier to use, but in
these troublesome times, is less scarce
than Kodachrome, or the newly intro¬
duced Ansco color film. (A plentiful
supply of “positive” film will be found
almost constantly on dealers’ shelves,
since it is little in demand by the ama¬
teur movie maker.)
Limiting oneself to the use of black
and white film doesn’t mean that a
(Left) The supreme test . . . duplication of a Koda¬
chrome original ... in Kodachrome. These are actual
frame enlargements from a Kodachrome duplicate,
printed in the camera.
Kodachrome original cannot be used.
Naturally if a person is fortunate
enough to “snag” a roll of the precious
color film, it is much to be preferred
over black and white stock, for use with
a Kodachrome original, however.
It goes without saying that the ut¬
most precautions must be taken in the
darkroom, for therein lies much of the
success or failure of the entire venture.
Darkroom illumination must be in ac¬
cordance with the speed of the unex¬
posed film, ranging from the familiar
red lamp for use with “positive” film,
to total darkness in spooling Koda¬
chrome. For something different in your
field of endeavors, though, try using
your movie camera as a motion picture
step printer !
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30 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 10)
director that caused him to learn so
quickly and forge ahead so rapidly.
While deMille was looking through the
finder, Pev would sit on a little box un¬
der the camera. From that position he
got the director’s perspective, and
hence learned to anticipate what deMille
wanted, and did what was required of
him. In three and a half years, Marley
rose from the lowly rank of roustabout to
deMille’s first cameraman, the youngest
first cameraman in the business.
He will never forget his first job after
that promotion, or the tension under
which he worked. The picture was “Feet
of Clay,” and there were eight cameras
on the job, over 600 extras were working,
and the harbor was full of yachts. That
was his first scene!
As to the toughest job he ever had
to tackle for the screen, Pev thinks that
easily goes to the crucifixion scene for
“The King of Kings.” The set, the larg¬
est ever constructed, has since been con¬
verted into three good-sized stages.
Everyone on the set was nervous, and
perhaps a little awed by the magnitude
of the scene they were shooting, and
what it represented. It was not a job
to be undertaken casually, or performed
haphazardly. “The King of Kings” was
the greatest film ever undertaken, and
the crucifixion scene perhaps the most
difficult assignment ever handed to any
cameraman. Psychologically, as well as
technically, it was a tremendous chal¬
lenge.
The problems were many and varied.
H. B. Warner, as The Christ, was held
to the cross in a manner which became
quite painful after a very short time,
and so shooting could only be done a
few minutes at a time. Then, there was
the difficult job of transition from day
exterior to night storm. Keyed to each
bit of action, the sky had to change from
light sunshine through gathering gloom
to heavy storm. Over a period of two
weeks’ shooting, this gradual change in
the lighting took place. The finale, when
the s^orm was at its peak, included high
winds and lightning. The wind machines
fulfilled their role in simulating the
proper awe-inspiring atmosphere, but
they stirred up dust. And that dust in
the air picked up light. But finally, all
of those technical hurdles were mastered,
and with the help of a switchboard that
he had rigged up, plus an elaborate
series of hand and foot gestures he had
worked out, Marley was able to get the
effects he wanted. To say that they were
satisfactory, is an understatement.
With the advent of sound, all camera¬
men found themselves up against new
obstacles. Marley was no exception, and
it was he who first used a camera blimp
to encase the camera and deaden its
noise. That was for the picture “Dyna¬
mite.”
After making that film, Marley went
east for a vacation. But instead of re¬
turning to Hollywood after a couple
of weeks, as he planned, he found him¬
self taking a fling at the stage, by a
curious fluke. As a kid he had won 22
dancing trophies, and when he received
an offer to headline in vaudeville, the
novelty appealed to him and he accepted
it. But after a few months, the life of
a theatrical performer palled on him,
and he headed back for Hollywood, and
his own profession.
After free-lancing for awhile, he
accepted an offer to work in Paris. He
made two pictures there, and two in
Budapest, staying in Europe for a year.
Marley found the European studios many
years behind us, technically, and he in¬
troduced many new methods of camera
technique, and effected quite a few
changes in the laboratory work. He was
also the first man to introduce process
photography in Europe. Budapest de¬
lighted him, he would have stayed long¬
er, but his father was taken suddenly
ill and he returned to this country.
After his return, Marley’s first job
was “The House of Rothschild,” for
Darryl Zanuck at United Artists. Then,
under contract, he went with Zanuck
to 20th Century Fox where he worked on
such pictures as “In Old Chicago,” “Alex¬
ander’s Ragtime Band,” and several
others. He also made a screen test for
a talented newcomer at that studio, and
filmed three of her first pictures. He
thought then, and he still thinks, that
she as the most beautiful girl he has
ever photographed. He didn’t marry her
though, until after he was in the Army.
It was in April 1943, that Linda Darnell
became Mrs. Pev Marley.
Not only is she the most beautiful
girl in pictures, according to Marley,
but she’s also a darned good amateur
photographer. Better, in facL than he is.
Why? Because he’s a professional per¬
fectionist, and for that reason can’t
relax and take an ordinary, casual snap¬
shot.
Pev’s hobbies are fishing, dancing, golf,
and swimming. And while he was in
the service with the Army Air Force
Photographic Unit, he did a lot of fly¬
ing, and now flying is his latest hobby.
Pev enlisted in the army three months
before he was classified, and was in
about one year. Out of the service, he
finished his 20th Century-Fox contract;
then moved over to Warner Brothers,
where he’s made four pictures in rapid
succession.
In “Pride of the Marines,” there’s a
scene he’s rather proud of, for it com¬
bines film shot under three decidedly
different conditions, and at different
times. Yet it could pass for the same
work. Part of the film was actual com¬
bat footage taken on Guadalcanal, some
of it was shot outdoors on a foggy
morning, and the rest was shot indoors
on a sound stage.
Pev is happy in his work, and says
he would probably make the same choice
of a career, if he had it to do over again.
He could never be satisfied with a “debit
and credit” type of job — his description
of monotonous or routine work. This
business may offer headaches, and plenty
of problems, but it isn’t boring, is his
opinion. Photography is variable every
hour, and the business produces as ver¬
satile a group of people as you’d be
likely to find anywhere, he believes.
A good cameraman draws from his
past experiences, his artistic ability, his
common sense, with a dash of psychology
added, and all of it topped off with a
sense of humor, is his way of looking
at it.
And work? Well, “They are always
working on a motion picture set,” he
says. “When not actually shooting, they
are lining up for the next scene. And
who are ‘they’? Why, the cameramen,
of course. Actors and directors get a
respite now and then; even grips and
electricians get a breather. But the cam¬
eraman — never. For ‘they’ are always
busy! But they probably wouldn’t change
places — even if they could — for any other
job in the business.”
Paramount Stages 16 mm.
Premiere of "Duffy's Tavern'
in Chicago
Paramount staged a special premiei’e
of “Duffy’s Tavern” in Chicago recently
for members of the press and radio at —
of all places — Duffy’s Tavern in the
Windy City. Showing was an exploita¬
tion stunt for the picture; but more im¬
portant, marked the first time that a
studio feature had been premiered in
16 mm. form. Pair of Bell & Howell
Filmosound 179 projectors were utilized
for the performance.
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American Cinematographer » January, 1946
31
Director George Marshall rehearses Bob Hope and Joan Caulfield in a stair-walking scene for "Monsieur
Beaucaire" at Paramount. For making the shot, camera and sound mike will follow the players up the
stairs via movement of camera crane. Lionel A. Lindon, A.S.C., is director of photography on the production.
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Fortunately we are not facing any reconversion
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A.C. I
Factory Filming
(Continued from Page 16)
my own experience and observation, the
only cameraman I have seen do bang-up
jobs were those who had the moral cour¬
age to subdue their own creative urge
and adapt their ability to the problems
at hand. Why? Because beautiful pic¬
tures alone do not constitute a well-pho¬
tographed training film.
The film must be subjective, not ob¬
jective. In other words, the audience
should be participants and not merely
spectators. To achieve this, good com¬
position must, if necessary, be thrown
out the window. If one angle will per¬
mit better lighting and another a bet¬
ter participating point of view the con¬
scientious cameraman has no choice. He
must be willing to leave his own work
open to criticism (by those who don’t
know) so as to achieve the main objec¬
tive.
A demand frequently heard by educa¬
tional cameramen is, “get the worker’s
point of view.” This sounds easy enough.
Place the camera at about the average
man’s height and have the machine’s
operator cheat a little to one side or the
other. But rarely does this give the ex¬
pected result. The reason is that the
camera’s single eye is stationary whereas
the two eyes of the worker are con¬
stantly changing position and focus,
even though his head, to all appearances,
remains stationary. Actually the head
is moving constantly in a series of al¬
most imperceptible pans.
Yet I have seen cameraman Jockey
Feindel get shots which solved this prob¬
lem. He carefully figured out the angle
which the audience would recognize as
the worker’s point of view and set up
his camera accordingly. I was directing
that opus and squawked loud and long
when I saw where he put the camera.
But Jockey squawked louder and longer
and the results proved that it was for¬
tunate he did so.
On another film, Floyd Crosby, A.S.C.,
was asked if he could get a “nice, easy
long shot” of Lockheed’s P-38 assembly
line. He looked at his two seniors, four
juniors, three “broads” and three baby
spots. He muttered a number of things
but all that was audible was a very
definite “No!” There ensued a one-sided
discussion between Floyd and our cus¬
tomer’s representative. We’ve all heard
similar discussions, so you won’t be sur¬
prised that it ended with Floyd making
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32 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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the shot while his face went all the
colors of the spectrum and a few Dr.
Kalmus never heard of. The next day
we saw the shot in the rushes. It was
beautiful. I never figured out how
Floyd did it. I am not too convinced that
he knows himself.
It is my conviction that in spite of
conditions and obstacles, educational
films can be photographically beautiful
as well as functional. During production
the cameraman is the key man. I have
a few suggestions which may make it a
bit easier for him to fulfill that role:
1. Together with the script writer, di¬
rector and gaffer, watch the operation
you are going to shoot and become famil¬
iar with the job you are going to teach
via the screen.
2. Determine the amount of lights you
will need, remembering that the pro¬
ducer is probably on a short budget. If
he is a legitimate producer he won’t
mind telling you just how much money
he has to work with.
3. Read the script and let the writer
clarify any points you do not fully
grasp.
4. Together with the director, work
out complete story sketches for the job.
It doesn’t matter how rough these
sketches are. The main thing is to make
them for the whole picture at once and
not just for a day’s shooting.
5. Where conditions permit plan for
dolly shots so as to come up close on
details of an operation without having
to cut fi’om the medium or full establish¬
ing shot.
6. Do your diplomatic best to have the
factory, or anybody, paint the subject
machines. Battleship gray seems the
most popular color for best photographic
results.
7. If you are working with metal be
sure there is plenty of wax on hand to
eliminate reflection and halation. Also be
certain that the demonstrating worker
has plenty of sample pieces to put
through his machine during the filming
for the several takes which may be neces¬
sary. While neither of these points is
generally conceded to be the camera¬
man’s responsibility, I think that when
shooting begins you’ll be mighty glad
you checked up on them.
I am only repeating old stuff when I
say that educational pictures are going
to play an increasingly important fact in
our national life. They are a challenge
to the cameraman’s ability. The work is
poor in glamor and rich in headaches.
But I earnestly believe that any man
who has shot a good educational can
look in his mirror and say, “Well, prune
puss, I guess we are a cameraman after
all.”
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American Cinematographer • January, 1946
33
Review of News
(Continued from Page 14)
tion of features in smaller towns and
locations that cannot support the orig¬
inal investment and overhead required
for a 35 mm. operation, are currently
probing the possibilities of utilizing the
economical advantages of 16 mm. size,
but still taking measures to prevent pro¬
jection of the minnie prints on the pre¬
sent 16 mm. machines in private hands.
Best progress has been made on sug¬
gestion to use a 20 mm. size printstock
— with the same frame size as the pre¬
sent 16 mm., but with the added 4 mm.
comprising sprocket holes on other side
opposite present ones, to provide double
sprocket movement for projectors which
would be made by the manufacturers
and sold only to regulation theatres that
are expected to be opened for operation
under the more economical conditions.
The 20 mm. standard proposal is far
advanced both in New York and Holly¬
wood. Head offices of the major com¬
panies have technical representatives
conferring on the matter, while the
Academy Research Council in Hollywood
is giving the idea a thorough going-
over through several of its committees.
If the green light is given to the new
standard for smaller theatres, many
months will elapse before prints will be
available. Projection equipment manu¬
facturers will have to tool up for the
new professional equipment; laborator¬
ies will have to set up developing ap¬
paratus for processing the 20 mm. size;
and then the 20 mm. prints will be
available for the smaller theatres when
sufficient number of the latter are ready
for operation to justify making quan¬
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WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
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Established since 1910.
BELL & HOWELL PROFESSIONAL PRODUC¬
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Double System Recorder, 6-BH magazines. 3
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$3,950.00 ; Akeley Newsreel Camera with 5 maga¬
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Send for Catalog. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY
CORPORATION, NEW YORK 18.
BRAND NEW, LATEST STYLE, 16mm. sound
projector, facotry guaranteed ; also one slightly
used, cheap. Box 875, Reading, Pa.
FOR SALE : S.M.P.E. Transactions and Journal.
Complete from 1925 to date. Cost over $300.00.
Best Offer. Box 1028, AMERICAN CINEMA¬
TOGRAPHER.
ARRIFLEX — AKELEY — DEBRIE — EYEMO
- DEVRY 35 mm. cameras, complete with all
accessories. Bolex — Filmo — Cine Kodak 16mm.
cameras. Silent — Sound Projectors — lights - —
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BERNDT-MAUER MODEL “D” RECORDER
complete with amplifier and AGN amplifier and
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COMPLETE FILE OF THE AMERICAN CINE¬
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five years not bound. Valued at $100.00. Write
best offer. Box 1029, AMERICAN CINEMA¬
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COMPLETE 35mm. sound on film, portable, single
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F.l :5 copying lens for titles. 1,000 foot maga¬
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MISCELLANEOUS
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Organization and conduct of photographic and
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HOME MOVIE FANS, JOIN MOTION PICTURE
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Box 875. Reading. Pa.
WANTED to hear from parties interested in form¬
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from established concern with studio, lab, and
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CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL B & H EYEMO DEBRIE AKELEY
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WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO-
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LABORATORY, STUDIO OR RECORDING
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S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORPORATION,
NEW YORK 18.
WANTED: JUNE 1940 issue of JOURNAL of
S.M.P.E. to complete set. Can anyone help me?
L. Duncan, MoMM2/c, U.S. Coast Guard Base,
Wilmington, California.
BUY
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34 January, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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38
February, 1946 •
American Cinematographer
IF there’s one kind of American equipment
that’s known the world around, it’s Eyemo
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Before the war, the Bell & Howell Eyemo
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3d
American Cinematographer • February, 194<>
VOL. 27
FEBRUARY. 1946
NO. 2
CONTENTS
Photographing Army Air Force Training Films . 42
Army Air Force’s “The Last Bomb” Sensational War Film . 44
The Subjective Camera . By Herb Lightman 46
Report of SMPE Committee on Color . 48
Through the Editor’s Finder . 50
Among the Movie Clubs . 56
Simplified Movie Processing in Your Own Darkroom .
. By James R. Oswald 58
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members . 64
ON THE FRONT COVER is a photograph of one of the numerous sweeping-
locations for the David Selznick production in Technicolor, “Duel In the
Sun.” King Vidor is director of the $5,000,000 production. Lee Garmes,
A. S. C., is director of photography; with Ray Rennehan, A. S. C., as
Technicolor associate. Still by Madison Lacy.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Charles Clarke, First Vice-President Joseph Walker, Second Vice-President
Arthur Edeson, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
George Folsey, Sergeant-at-Arms
John Arnold Byron Haskin John Seitz
John Boyle Sol Polito Leon Shamroy
Lee Garmes William Skall
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman. A. S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff. A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.76
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, Z6c ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 35e.
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18. 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
40 February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
66
IOW a professional 16 mm splicer
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constant temperature hot spl ice
PERFECT AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION AT
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American Cinematographer • February. 1946
CINEMATOGRAPHY IN THE WAR
ARMY AIR FORCE
TRAINING FILMS
WITH CAPT. TOM TUTWILER, A.SC.
Now that the war is over, the “top
secret” and “confidential” activities of
various services are off on disclosing
intimate details of the importance of
cinematography in waging a winning
battle over the enemy. In starting this
series of “Cinematography at War,”
articles on the use of motion pictures
on the home and battle fronts will be
published detailing the experiences of
members of the American Society of
Cinematographers in various phases of
the services.
AAF training films played a most
vital part in accelerating the instruction
of air force pilots and personnel when
speed was essential. Air Force heads
early realized the importance of visual
training to supplement class and text¬
book instruction, and made maximum
use of films in the domestic training
program.
In presenting various phases of pro¬
duction of AAF training films, the ex¬
periences of Capt. Tom Tutwiler,
A. S. C., provide a typical history of the
motion picture instruction program of
that branch of the service. Tutwiler,
who received commission of first lieu¬
tenant with the original AAF First Mo¬
tion Picture Unit in February, 1943,
entered the service after more than 15
years’ experience in Hollywood studios
where he mainly worked on special ef¬
fects photography at Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer. He was promoted to the rank of
Captain while in service.
Captain Tutwiler, who logged more
than 1,000 hours of flying time while
functioning as a cinematographer with
the AAF, estimates that this exceeds
the total flying hours of any other AAF
cameraman for the similar period of
three years. Assigned to head an aerial
camera unit immediately, Captain Tut¬
wiler photographed air and ground foot¬
age in about equal amounts on his many
and varied assignments.
These assignments covered all types
of aircraft and models introduced pe¬
riodically to do specific jobs. Films de¬
tailing the flying characteristics and
various types of equipment of each
model were made to not only intimately
familiarize pilots in training in this
country, but also to make the new
models familiar with the flyers and
crews on battlefronts where the new
plane would be dispatched for service.
Included in each film as standard
footage was picturization of the air
performances of the individual types of
planes, including maneuverability, take¬
off, landing, flying characteristics and
other features for the knowledge of the
pilots in the field and in training.
Small Crew
In handling the assignments, which
necessitated location trips to various
fields where the different plane models
were being tested or flown for the film¬
ing, Captain Tutwiler carried a small
crew of only one assistant cameraman
and one grip. This compact unit capa¬
bly and efficiently handled the work to
be done, although individual fields gen¬
erally supplied trucks when required
during filming operations.
Detailed Scripts Provided
The film project on a new type plane,
or instructional picture of various
phases of operation was always care¬
fully planned and set up in advance in
script form for the cameraman assigned
to the job. When a project was re¬
quested, the AAF First Motion Picture
unit dispatched one or more writers to
Setting up the Bell & Howell camera in waist door
of an A-29.
42
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
the particular field or base to prepare
a suitable script. On this preliminary
work, an officer at the base familiar
with the film requirements was assigned
as technical advisor and liaison to work
closely with the writer to familiarize
the latter with what was required and
to provide necessary technical informa¬
tion and performance features of the
plane that was to be the subject of the
film.
After the script was okayed by the
commanding officers of the particular
base, the camera unit was sent along
from the Culver City base to launch
production. During this period, also, the
officer functioning as technical advisor
was constantly with the camera unit to
advise and assist in the filming.
Cramped Setups on Planes
In his numerous photographic expedi¬
tions for the Air Force, Captain
Tutwiler covered a territory embracing
air bases all over continental United
States, and he was also on many filming-
missions that extended far out over the
Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean waters.
For aerial photography, where the
camera plane had to follow the subject
plane, Captain Tutwiler continually
found himself in cramped quarters. For
example, operating the camera from the
tail of a B-29 required that he be on
Tiis knees for the entire trip. On other
occasions, he had to crawl through a
plane to the camera position, and then
operate while on his side in a prone
position. The only time he could stand
up and operate the camera comfortably,
Tutwiler discloses, was from the turret
of an AT-11.
Although shooting was from odd and
uncomfortable positions most of the
time, Captain Tutwiler discloses that he
never photographed through plexiglas —
but always out of the nose, tail, waist
or turret of the camera planes. This re¬
quired that the cameraman take a tough
beating while shooting; and either win¬
ter or summer, the trips were decidedly
cold.
Special Camera Planes
Major Frank ClarK was OIC of the
Flight Echelon attached to the First
Motion Picture unit, and his division
supplied the camera ships and pilots for
the various film expeditions in all parts
of the country. Major Clark had under
his command a group of pilot-officers
who were experienced in operating
camera ships for film production, which
resulted in not only better aerial pho¬
tography overall, but saved immeasur¬
ably in production delays that would
fiave existed if unskilled film production
pilots had been assigned at each par¬
ticular field.
Principal types of camera planes used
were Lockheed Hudsons and the B-25
(Continued on Page 68)
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA POSITIONS for
AAF training films — top, shooting from turret of an
A-29; middle, setup in turret of an A- II; bottom, from
the nose of an A-29.
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
43
rr
AAF's "Last Bomb Sensational
“The Last Bomb” is one of the great¬
est — if not the tops — in the series of
actual combat picturizations of the war.
An exposition of the details of attack
by the B-29 Superfortresses on Japan
in the late months of the war, nothing
in printed form could more clearly ex¬
plain the devastation and ruin wrought
on the Jap homeland and the impossi¬
bility^ of the Nips continuing to resist,
than this epic from the motion picture
files of the Army Air Forces.
Members of the American Society of
Cinematographers were privileged to
witness one of the first — if not the
initial — showing, before a semi-public
audience on the night of January 21,
1946, at the A. S. C. clubhouse in Holly¬
wood. General consensus was that this
was the finest and most spectacular film
to be issued from the war activities of
the United States forces.
Specific showing was arranged
through the courtesy and cooperation
of Frank Lloyd, veteran motion picture
director and former major in the AAF
photographic unit who was recalled
from civilian life to function as director
of the unit undertaking the enterprise.
Several members of the American
Society of Cinematographers were
closely identified with the making of
“The Last Bomb,” including Major
Wilfrid Cline, who had previously spent
20 months in China as commanding
officer of the 16th Air Force Combat
Camera Unit; Captain Gilbert Warren-
ton, A. S. C., who was several years in
the South Pacific battle area; and Cap¬
tain Tom Tutwiler, A. S. C., who shot
the sequence of P-51 maneuvers for
inter-cutting into the subject.
Picture was made entirely in 16mm
kodachrome, with the exposed film
planed back from the Philippines, Mari¬
anas and I wo Jima to Honolulu with
escort AAF officers for processing at
the Eastman kodachrome processing
laboratory in Hawaii in record time.
Subsequently, 35mm color blowups were
made by Technicolor, which will even¬
tually make the release prints when the
picture is shown generally in the the¬
atres of the world.
The film, which was made in a total
of five months, was planned to give the
American public an insight into the
details of a multi-plane bombing raid
on the Jap homeland. Some reports
state that the heads of AAF, after
checking the most favorable public re¬
action to the Navy’s “Fighting Lady”
(which was a documentary in which
much of the filmed material was
scripted and shot in advance through
cooperation with a Hollywood studio),
decided that the Air Force could top
the sensational audience qualities of
“Fighting Lady” with a film on the
concentrated bombings of Japan.
Whether or not this report is correct,
the final result is sufficiently thrilling
to justify all the effort expended by the
AAF and its most proficient motion
picture division. There is no doubt but
what — even with the war terminating
with abrupt suddenness — “The Last
Bomb” will be released generally via
theatres throughout the world to give
everyone an opportunity to view the
terrific and overwhelming air forces di¬
rected at the Nip homeland.
“The Last Bomb” is a “must see” for
every American, and will also provide
audiences in other countries with the
“know how” of the United States in
organizing and waging air war — no
matter what the distance or difficulty.
Picture depicts the planning, start,
flight, etc., of a 500 B-29 raid on Jap
targets — two air plants. The big planes
are shown in takeoffs from the Maria¬
nas in flights; the pickup of P-51 fighter
plane escorts off Iwo Jima, and the run
to the Japan islands. Over the target,
the bombs drop more numerous than
salmon on a spawning run, while the
P-51s engage the intercepting Jap
fighter planes in sensational air battles.
Direct hits — from 12,000 feet — on the
objectives are vividly seen in the orange
flashes and glows below. There are sev¬
eral shots from the big bombers to give
the onlookers a visual thrill of the de¬
vastation and ruin which had previously
been visited on Tokyo via air attacks.
While the bombers go about their
work, the P-51 fighters battle the Jap
fighter planes. Through medium of
GSAP (gun sight aiming point) cam¬
eras synchronized with gunfire on the
fighters, the blasting of the Nip fighter
planes is vividly depicted. When hit by
shells, the Jap planes shudder as if
suspended on a string in the breeze —
emit smoke or catch fire — and go into
crashes or fall apart.
When the bombers have completed
their missions and turn for home, a
portion of the fighters stick close by as
escorts to prevent delayed raids by the
tricky Jap fighter pilots. But other
fighters peel off for strafing runs over
power lines, trains, factories, airfields,
shipping, etc. This sequence of about
10 minutes duration on the screen, sur¬
passes anything else that has been seen
in this war; and will be the tops until
something better might come along.
Final sequence shows the Iwo Jima
base, where crippled B-29s are forced
to land due to gas shortage or being
crippled in the battle. Several episodes
provide maximum thrills when the big
planes are forced to belly-land on air¬
strips or close waters to save the lives
of the crew members. Most thrilling is
the continual effort extended to save the
lives of the pilots and crews, no matter
how great the danger to the rescuers.
“The Last Bomb” is a most vivid mo¬
tion picture of this war — it is certain to
be one of the greatest documentaries
for preserving the peace for many years
to come. Every person — both in the
United States and the world — should see
it and realize the fallacy of embarking
on any future war.
ON THE SET of RKO's "Till the End of Time." Director Edward Dmytryk and Director of Photography Harry
Wild, A.S.C., ready to shoot a scene with Jean Porter and Guy Madison.
44
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
At Your Service!
the staff of
J. E. Brulatour, INC.
with
EASTMAN
FILMS -
J. E. BRULATOUR, Inc.
• CHICAGO • HOLLYWOOD
NEW YORK
JhiL $uhisi£iii)8.' Qam&ha,
By HERB A. LiGHTMAN
The camera is the “eye” of the motion
picture. It is not merely a mechanical
thing of cogs and wheels and optical
glass that records an image on a strip
of film. Rather, it is an artistic tool —
like a painter’s brush, or a sculpter’s
chisel. In the hands of a craftsman it be¬
comes the instrument through which a
dramatic story can be placed on film —
so that later on, in darkened theaters all
over the world, vast audiences can see
the film, react to if, and be entertained.
Psychologically, an audience responds
as strongly to creative camerawork as it
does to clever direction or powerful act¬
ing. For the camera has “point of view”
and the audience will see the story only
as the camera sees it. For this reason,
the camera’s approach to a specific scene
must be in key with the concept of that
scene as set down in the screenplay,
and with the pattern of action worked
out by the director.
Usually the camera maintains the role
of a detached observer of the story. It is
not, in itself, a part of the action — so
it simply stands by and records what
goes on, assuming whatever angle will
best portray that action. When this is
the case, and the camera remains apart
from the action itself, we say that the
camera is “objective.” A vast majority of
the action in most photoplays is filmed
with this approach.
Occasionally, however, the camera
steps out of its role as casual observer
and becomes a participant in the story.
In so doing it assumes the point of
view of one of the characters, and what
appears on the screen is what that par¬
ticular character sees in a certain filmic
situation. Thus, the camera actually be¬
comes his “eye,” and when this is the
case we say that the camera is sub jective.
This technique, in itself, is not entirely
new. Even back when the movies were
young a character could scarcely be
represented on the screen as being drunk
without the audience’s being treated to a
revolving prism shot of his multiple
D.T.’s. But, just as motion picture tech¬
nique in general has outgrown obvious
forms of trickery, the subjective treat¬
ment as used in Hollywood today has be¬
come a smooth, subtle way of putting
the audience into a character’s “shoes.”
It is dynamic without being clumsy.
The psychological effect of this device
on the audience is direct and potent.
The modern photoplay appeals princi¬
pally to the emotions. For this reason, it
is desirable that an audience participate
subconsciously in the action that is tak¬
ing place on the screen. When a person
viewing a film can lose himself in the
story and react vicariously to the emo¬
tions of the actors — then he, is quite apt
to leave the theater with the glow of
satisfaction of having seen an enter¬
taining film.
The subjective approach, when well
executed, tends to bring the andience
into the pictuie. It is allowed to see part
of the action as it appears to one of
the characters, and it will subconsciously
experience the same reactions he does.
In several recent Hollywood photo¬
plays there have been some excellent ex¬
amples of this technique in use. In the
film: “The Lodger,” directed by John
Brahm and superbly photographed by
John Seitz, A.S.C., one sequence con¬
cerned the murder of a dowdy London
charwoman who had stopped by at the
pub for an “arf ’n’ arf” before going
home. By previously established motiva¬
tion the audience knew that the killer
was waiting in her little shack. But
when the camera followed her into her
room the murderer was not once shown.
Instead, the woman started to remove
her clothes, whirled about as she heard
(Continued on Page 66)
DETAILS OF UNUSUAL LIGHTING on close shot of William Powell and Lewis Stone for Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer's production, "The Hoodlum Saint." Director Norman Taurog is seated on stool in left foreground,
with director of photography Ray June behind Taurog making final check of fhe scene before shooting.
46
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
I
with Victor
Spiro-draft
exclusive
Lamp house
The Animat ophone —
16mm Sound Projector—
Pint In the Field
During projection, lamps get hot . . . very hot. But only
in the Animatophone this condition is anticipated and
alleviated with Victor’s exclusive Spira-clraft lamp house.
Only on the Animatophone is the cooled air forced in a
spiralized, all-over, fast-moving stream through a multiple
wall to dissipate heat more efficiently.
Result . . . longer lamp life, clearer pictures. And remem¬
ber, on the VICTOR, the lamp has a standard base, obtain¬
able anywhere, at no extra cost.
Here’s another outstanding feature that gives the Victor
Animatophone its leading position in the 16mm industry.
Horfie Office and Factory: Davenport, Iowa
New York (18) McGraw-Hill Bldg., 330 W. 42nd St. — Chicago (1) 188 W. Randolph
MAKERS OF I6MM EQUIPMENT SINCE 1923
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
47
Report of the SMPE Committee on Color
(Presented at Oct. 17, 1945 Technical Conference of
the Society of Motion Picture Engineers in New York,
and published in SMPE Journal of Dec. 1945. Re¬
printed by special permission of the SMPE.)
AS the motion picture industry un¬
dertakes an ever-growing per¬
centage of production in color,
the matters of increasing present facili¬
ties, of opening up new facilities, and,
above all, the removal of limitations
and restrictions upon methods of opera¬
tion, become of utmost importance. The
engineers and technicians of the indus¬
try need to look ahead and formulate
the problems and possible solutions
thereof, so as to be ready wisely to
advise the executives and producers
who, it can be confidently predicted, will
wake up to the problem rather suddenly.
It is from this point of view that the
Color Committee of the Society of Mo¬
tion Picture Engineers wishes ,to empha¬
size the importance to the industry of
the new high sensitivity caesium-anti¬
mony phototubes which are currently
being described.
In order to appreciate the significance
of these cells it should first be realized
that the great majority of dyes which
can be used in the production of color
film are transparent to the near infrared
region of the spectrum and consequently
are unsuitable for use as components of
the sound track, if, as is currently the
case, the standard photoelectric cell has
its maximum response in that region.
This remark applies equally to acid dyes
such as are used in imbibition processes,
to basic dyes as used in dye-toning proc¬
esses, and to the insoluble dyes produced
by the aid of color formers and color
developers.
To be sure, there are a very few dyes
or suitable pigments which are absorp¬
tive in the near infrared region — ferric-
ferrocyanide (the usual iron-tone) is the
outstanding example. If, then, ferric-
ferrocyanide is used for the cyan com¬
ponent of the picture, a satisfactory
track, absorptive in the infrared, can be
produced simultaneously with the cyan
picture component without the require¬
ment of any special processing steps.
Such prints and tracks have been widely
used in the 2-color field, as, for example,
in Cinecolor prints.
However, the methods which produce
this iron-tone image cannot in general
be used in the production of yellow and
magenta images. Furthermore, the use
of this pigment permits no choice what¬
ever in the selection of the cyan com¬
ponent. The iron-toned image for the pic¬
ture has to be accepted as it is. So as a
general conclusion, it can be said that
the picture components suitable for the
imbibition process, the color-former proc¬
ess, or for any process wherein the three
components are treated in a common
manner, cannot be used to form a satis¬
factory track absorptive to infrared rays.
This difficulty has been overcome in
the past by producing the sound track in
silver or a silver compound, either by a
completely separate step, or by means of
edge treatment of the film at some stage
of the processing. As an example of the
former method there is Technicolor’s
black silver track, and as an example
of the latter there is Kodachrome’s
silver sulphide track. Now either of
these methods resulted in added ex¬
pense— -in the latter case, because of the
delicacy of the operation. The boundary
of the area of action of the edge-treating
fluid, whether applied to track alone or
to picture alone, must be confined to a
zone only 0.015 in. wide between track
and picture, and the action of the fluid
must be absolutely uniform across the
zone of the application with no variation
in the vicinity of sprocket holes; yet agi¬
tation as a means of securing uniform¬
ity is obviously excluded. A delicate
operation of this sort requires, on the
one hand, careful control, and on the
other hand, the constant threat of re¬
duced yields and increased costs. Quite
a number of patents have appeared de¬
scribing various chemical and mechanical
methods of performing this edge treat¬
ment.
But now, if the sensitivity of the
phototube can be confined to the visible
range, then the same components that
are used to make up the picture can also
be used to produce the track without the
necessity of edge treatment. It was with
this thought in mind that an earlier
Color Committee (in 1937) called atten¬
tion to the desirability of finding or pro¬
ducing such a tube. At about that same
time a photosensitive alloy was discov¬
ered by a German investigator, which
alloy, when illuminated by an incandes¬
cent tungsten lamp, has a peak of re¬
sponse well inside the visible range. Fur¬
thermore, when properly prepared, this
alloy possesses very remarkable sensi¬
tivity.
The development of phototubes con¬
taining this alloy has apparently been
considerably retarded by the war, though
various constructions containing it have
appeared in several countries. German-
made tubes have been referred to in vari¬
ous articles in Kinotechnik and other
German magazines, which have been ab¬
stracted in the Kodak Monthly Abstract
Bulletin for November, 1943, and Febru¬
ary, May, October and December, 1944.
A translation of one of these articles
appeared in the SMPE Journal for Sep¬
tember, 1944. English-made tubes are de¬
scribed in the Proceedings of the Physi¬
cal Society (London) for March, 1943,
and also in an article in the Journal of
the British Kinematograph Society for
January, 1943. The U. S. patent on the
alloy is now in the hands of the Alien
Property Custodian and licenses are
available to anyone at a nominal fee.
For use in projectors it seems most
desirable to arrive at a phototube which
will have about the same output as does
the ordinary Ag-O-Cs tube. A tube which
meets this requirement and which is me¬
chanically and electrically interchange¬
able with the present 868 type has been
(Continued on Page 62)
PHOTOGRAPHER BEHIND TWO-BY-FOURS — An intricate camera position to film a train sequence for
David O. Selznick's production of "Duel in the Sun."
48
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Fast! Yes — but delivery guaranteed.
Full fidelity of sound and definition
often exceeding the original.
For superior work — ahead of time —
"Byron-ize" your prints.
the most complete 16 MM sound studio in the East
Studio: 1712 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Phone Dupont 1800
Washington 9, D.C.
THROUGH
Although reports from London state
that the British critics were lukewarm
to the premiere of Gabriel Pascal’s “Cae¬
sar and Cleopatra,” when the production
opened there last month; it does not fol¬
low that the picture will not be box
office in both Great Britain and the
United States. Financed by J. Arthur
Rank to the tune of around $5,000,000 to
make it the most expensive released neg¬
ative to date (although David Selznick’s
“Duel in the Sun” is said to be in excess
of that figure while currently in the edit¬
ing stages) “Caesar” encountered pro¬
duction problems and delays of unusual
character to send costs zooming to astro¬
nomical figures.
“Caesar” has to roll up world grosses
of terrific amounts to recoup its nega¬
tive cost. But Rank is too great a busi¬
ness realist not to realize that the pic¬
ture cannot be forced onto the public
unless it carries entertainment values.
He will be satisfied with returns that
might get back a large portion of the
outlay, and figure whatever losses even¬
tuate will be valuable in the long run
by providing a showcase picture of Brit¬
ish production to catch attention of both
theatre men and the public to the effect
that England can turn out pictures com¬
parable in general production quality to
the best in Hollywood.
This brings to mind the fact that a
high cost production does not necessarily
guarantee box office merit. During the
past two years, there have been at least
five or six productions from the Holly¬
wood major studios that were unable to
recoup negative costs of $2,500,000 and
upwards. Some were even on Academy
Awards nominations, which attested to
the fine artistic and production merit of
the pictures. But, for some reason or
other, they .failed to catch attention of
the paying public — even in these lush
days of box office happiness.
Films for Fire Dept. Reports?
Stopping the other day to survey the
damage of what had been a pretty good-
sized fire a few/hours previously, we were
surprised to see the arrival of an officer
of the fire department — apparently an
investigator sent to the scene to make
out a complete report on the specific
blaze for the study by the fire preven¬
tion bureau. Accompanying him Was a
fireman equipped with a press graphic
camera, and bags of both bulbs and hold¬
ers. Methodically, the officer inspected
all sectors of the exterior, directing the
photographer to shoot various phases.
The pair then moved into what was left
of the building and debris, and the flash
bulbs were popping constantly.
The incident impressed one as being
important as another important use for
the EDITOR'S FINDER
photography. If we had delayed longer,
perhaps another fireman would have ar¬
rived equipped with a 16 mm. camera
and a couple of portable lights to secure
a more visual picturization of the dam¬
age. How much better to secure films
of such an incident for runoff to the
heads of the department and the fire
prevention bureau, who could study the
entire situation carefully and in detail
over and over, than to have an individual
— no matter how discerning and capable
— checking over the scene and making a
report from just one individual’s obser¬
vations, as has previously been the
case.
As one well-versed individual who
has been connected with films for
many years recently observed in a gab-
fest, 16 mm. films can be much more
valuable than multi-paged reports or
symposiums on situations or events
where higher executives or officials have
to be given details.
In the specific case of use of films
by fire departments, there’s an oppor¬
tunity for the semi-professional and
amateur cinematographers in smaller
communities to make valuable civic con¬
nections by offering to photograph fire
ruins for' the local departments to study
at leisure. And the chores would be right
in line wUh personal pleasures of cine¬
matography.
Peak Color Capacity
It is interesting to note that the color
processing laboratories, Technicolor,
Cinecolor and Magnacolor, are all at
peak production capacity in turning out
prints of features and shorts for the
film producers. Technicolor, which sup¬
plies by far the largest annual footage
of color films for the industry, has
scheduled present capacity of its labora¬
tory for many months in advance. And
the company can do little to increase its
capacity to take care of major pro¬
ducers’ requests for more color releases.
Although property has been purchased
and plans drawn for a large addition to
the present Technicolor plant, there’s
the problem of getting the necessary
building materials for construction. Fur¬
ther, there are also the important fac¬
tors of building the highly-precisioned
processing equipment necessary, and the
training of additional laboratory work¬
ers to handle the added volume of
output.
Cinecolor, which is a two color proc¬
ess, also is enjoying capacity through
contracts for features and shorts of
the studios. Limited capacity of its
present plant prevents taking on any
further commitments at this time.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was the first ma¬
jor company to utilize the Cinecolor bi¬
pack color for production of a feature,
“Star From Heaven,” which was re¬
cently completed with John Boyle
A. S. C., as director of photography.
Hal Roach, in resuming production ac¬
tivities to make a series of 12 Stream¬
liner features for United Artists re¬
lease, contracted with Cinecolor for the
latter process on the entire series. Roach
also wisely signed Boyle to a contract
to take responsibilities of director of
photography on the group.
Magnacolor method, also a bi-pack
similar to Cinecolor, has also taken a
splurge of activity, and now holds con¬
tracts for processing for its present
limited capacity. But the overall pic¬
ture demonstrates that the producers
realize the box office values of color
features, and are impatiently looking
forward to the time that virtually all
releases will be in color to add to the
audience appeal of the product.
Strikes Delay Projectors, Etc.
Industrial strikes in the midwest and
east will materially slow movement of
16mm sound-film projectors and both
8 and 16mm cameras, if those strikes
continue for any appreciable length of
time. This information is disclosed by
a distributor who points out that an¬
ticipated early and wholesale delivery
of 16mm equipment is delayed due to
inability of the manufacturers to secure
necessary accessories from subcontract¬
ors. Let it be plain that there is not —
at this time — any indication of strikes
or labor troubles in the factories of the
projector manufacturers. But the lat¬
ter depend on smaller plants for certain
accessories that go into the final assem¬
bly, and that’s where the bottleneck will
be. In view of this, we recommend that
prospective purchasers of projectors and
cameras of 8 and 16mm sizes exercise
patience with the manufacturers, dis¬
tributors and dealers.
Film Stockpiles Low
Film trade papers have, during the
past several weeks, reported that 35mm
negative and positive raw stock is not
too plentiful at the present time. If
such is the case, there’s logical reasons
for a certain percentage of decline in
volume of manufacture by the raw film
companies. It must be remembered
that — for at least five years — the latter
operated the plants on a 24 hour a day
basis. Machines and equipment were
kept operating with only makeshift re¬
pairs in order to turn out the large
(Continued on Page 70)
50
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
1 For perfection in lighting, it must be
carbon arc lamps . Ernest Haller, A.S.C
: : ■
I SM
;':r-
■
NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC.
Unit of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation 0
General Offices: 30 East 42nd Street, New York 17, N.Y.
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Division Sales Offices: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
51
Bell & Howell Introducing New
16 mm. Auto Load Camera
The famous "Guzap" camera used by the armed forces to record aerial gunnery effects during combat and
training; provides improvements for the new Bell & Howell 16 mm. Auto Load Camera.
Battle-tested and proved under the
rigors of war, the new and improved
Bell & Howell Filmo Auto Load 16 mm.
magazine loading camera will soon be
appearing for sale to the public.
Many features of this camera point
to its becoming popular in the 16 mm.
field. First of all, film threading is effort¬
less. A pre-threaded film magazine is
inserted into the rear of the camera,
the door is closed and the camera is
loaded. Film can be interchanged in mid¬
reel due to the shutter action on the film
magazine. This shutter is opened auto¬
matically when the film magazine is in¬
serted, and is closed automatically when
the magazine is withdrawn.
A viewfinder of the “positive” type,
fully enclosed within the camera for pro¬
tection, is standard equipment. The
“positive” type viewfinder eliminates
eye-parallax, one of the most frequent
causes of poorly composed pictures.
Four years of painstaking research
were employed on this finder; result,
an image 2xk times brighter than before.
One of the most desirable assets is the
small size and light weight of this latest
Filmo. Measuring 1 by 314 by 5%
inches and weighing only 2 pounds 7%
ounces, it is easily carried in a coat
pocket for instant use. Despite its small
size, professional results are still ob¬
tained.
The Auto Load will be available with
any of several fine, fast lenses, fully
color corrected to produce excellent
movies both in color and black-and-white.
Telephoto lenses for distant work, and
wide-angle lenses for close quarters are
instantly interchangeable. Lenses sold by
B & H will be specially coated to provide
greater clarity of pictures (eliminates
“ghost”).
A choice of two models can be had, the
Filmo Auto Load operating at 8, 16, 24,
and 32 frames per second and equipped
with a 1" F 2.5 U. F. lens, or the Filmo
Auto Load Speedster operating at 16,
24, 32, 48, and 64 frames per second
mounting a 1" F 1.9 F. M. lens. Other¬
wise, the two cameras are identical.
Most of the aerial combat pictures of
this war were taken with Auto Load
Cameras modified and specially adapted
for that purpose. The Armed Forces’
name was Gun-Sight-Aiming-Point Cam¬
era, later nicknamed “Guzap.” Equipped
with a motor, heating device, and other
secret modifications, it performed bril¬
liantly.
State Dept. 16 mm. Films
The State Department of the United
States has announced organization of a
film section which will concentrate on
production of 16 mm. films to be dis¬
tributed both abroad and in this country.
Setup will combine members of the
staffs of OWI and Office of Inter-
American Affairs, and will be headed
by John Begg, veteran official of State
Department film division.
Atlas Educational Film Co.
Under New Ownership
Atlas Educational Film Co. of Oak
Park, Ill., producers of educational and
industrial pictures for 32 years, has been
acquired by a new corporation of the
same name organized by the banking
firm of F. S. Yantis & Co. Added capital
provided by the new setup will provide
for expanded activities of the company.
S. O. S. Cinema Vets Back
Five employes of S. O. S. Cinema Sup¬
ply Corp. of New York, returned to their
posts with that company last month, fol¬
lowing release from service in the armed
forces. Quintet included: Dominick Ca-
pano, Joseph Liguori, But Carlson, Ira
Perry and William Allen. Two former
workers with the company were killed in
action during the war.
Color Slide Contests
Color division of the Photographic So¬
ciety of America is instituting series of
color slide contests to enable members
of PSA to evaluate their work in that
particular field, and to have an oppor¬
tunity to win medals and ribbons in
the contests. Initial event was held in
January, with others to follow in Feb¬
ruary, Max-ch, April, and June of 1946,
with entry deadline tenth of each month.
PSA members may submit slides with
no entry fee, non-members are charged
$1.00 plus postage. Official entry blanks
may be obtained from L. F. Plummer,
8320 Cai’penter St., Chicago 20, Ill.
Second Canadian International Color
Slide Exhibition of Photography will be
held at Art Gallery of Toronto March 1
to 14, 1946, with entries closing February
11. Toronto Camera Club is sponsoring
the contest, with entry fee listed at $1.00
by Chairman Sam J. Vogan, Box 25,
Toronto 9, Ontario.
Ansco Moves Chicago Offices
Ansco has moved its Chicago branch
to recently-purchased three story build¬
ing located at 247 East Ontario Street,
where both the sales offices, new labora¬
tory for film processing, and shipping
department will be consolidated under
one roof.
New Filmosound Library
Releases Announced
MOON LIGHT AND CACTUS (Univer¬
sal) 6 reels
Returning serviceman has his troubles
with women in war jobs — in this case in
the running of a cattle ranch. But there
is more than one solution of the woman
question in the postwar world, though
few will be quite as funny. (Andrews
Sisters, Leo Carrillo, Elyse Knox, Eddie
Quillan). Available from March 8, 1946
for approved non-theatrical audiences.
IN SOCIETY (Universal) 7 reels
A pair of plumbers go high-hat, and
on Lou Costello that’s particularly
funny. The boys go to sea in a bathtub,
ride a runaway couch down busy streets,
ditto with a fire truck, and finally go
fox-hunting riding a steer! (Abbott and
Costello, Marion Hutton, Kirby Grant,
Anne Gillis). Available from February
18, 1946 for approved non-theatrical au¬
diences.
DANCE REVIVAL — INDIA 10 min.;
(black-and-white and color prints)
Pleasant human tale of beautiful girl
who becomes teacher of folk dancing in
India. Essential dignity and religious im¬
port of interpretive dancing is brought
out. Should help improve our under¬
standing of Indian people and culture.
Photographed in fine color in India by
A. Patel, authentic music by Bhatodekar
editing and narration by W. F. Knise.
52 February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
HOW MUCH
PER FOOT?
L/OOK at it this way:
A tremendous expenditure has been made be¬
fore a single camera rolls. Staggering amounts
have been spent on talent, meticulous sets,
special skills, and equipment.
Recording all that investment on film makes
the finished negatives a pretty valuable
property.
That’s the way we look at it!
And so every frame of Ansco Supreme is the
finest film we know how to make. In grain,
KEEP YOUR EYE OK AKSCO— FIRST WITH THE FINEST
speed, and wide latitude, it has consistently
proven true to the trust put in it. You can
depend on Supreme.
Ansco
A DIVISION OF GENERAL ANILINE
A FILM CORPORATION
BINGHAMTON • HOLLYWOOD ‘ NEW YORK
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
53.
Eastman Kodak Explains Research
Status Of Professional Safety Film
Although progress is being made on
research development for .professional
35 mm. negative and positive motion
picture film, prepared statement by East¬
man Kodak Company cautions that many
factors have to be considered before the
non-inflammable type film can replace
the present nitrate stock.
Ed Kuykendall, president of Motion
Picture Theatre Owners of America, na¬
tional exhibitor group, first asked for
early introduction of the safety film
stock for theatrical use in a bulletin to
members several years ago. This was
picked up by trade publications, some of
which indicated that a changeover to
non-inflammable print stock could be
made within a short time.
However, as the Eastman information
discloses, much has to be accomplished
and a long time will undoubtedly elapse,
before the industry secures the full bene¬
fits of Eastman’s development and per¬
fection of the safety film for production
and theatre use.
The Eastman Kodak release states:
“In view of the numerous and some¬
times inaccurate articles which have re¬
cently appeared on the subject of safety
motion picture film, the Eastman Kodak
Company has authorized the following
statement covering their own position.
“Following the years of research and
development, the quality of motion pic¬
ture safety film, particularly with re¬
spect to its ability to stand up under
theatre projection, has constantly im¬
proved. The Eastman 35 mm. safety film
used in large quantities by all govern¬
mental agencies during the war per¬
formed satisfactorily under the condi¬
tions under which it was used. This
included regular theatre projection but,
generally speaking, the length of run to
which these prints were subjected was
considerably shorter than that for nor¬
mal nitrate release prints.
“Numerous tests of safety film, both
standard and experimental, have been
made by Eastman in recent years in their
own laboratories and under trade con¬
ditions. Such tests will continue. So far,
however, both laboratory and trade tests
have shown that the best safety film is
not equal in wearing quality to nitrate.
Any attempt to generally replace nitrate
film with the present safety would in¬
evitably result in substantially increased
print damage and much higher print
costs to the industry.
“No experience to date has indicated
that safety base can be produced as
cheaply as nitrate. When and if a com¬
pletely satisfactory safety base can be
made and sold in quantities comparable
to the present output of nitrate, the
price might be lower than the present
1.25 cent price of current safety posi¬
tive, but there is no present prospect
that it could reach the low price level
of nitrate film.
“The outlook for the eventual transi¬
tion of the industry to safety film con¬
tinues to be hopeful. Improvements, how¬
ever, are still essential and certainly no
specific date for a possible shift to safety
base can be set at this time.”
Tom Law of London, representing the
J. Arthur Rank British group of com¬
panies, and Joe McNabb, president of
Hell & Howell Company, are concluding
agreements started with the visit of
Arthur Rank to Chicago last June.
By the terms of the agreements, Bell
& Howell Company of Chicago and Brit¬
ish Acoustics, the engineering and manu¬
facturing company of the Arthur Rank
group, are entering into a long term
period for an interchange of research,
manufacture, and distribution of equip¬
ment and films.
British Acoustics will set up the com¬
plete manufacture in England of all Bell
& Howell standard and substandard
equipment including 16mm. sound and
silent projectors, 16mm. and 8mm. cine
cameras, and 8mm. projectors, as well
as a wide range of accessories. The
plants in England will be operated on
Still another demonstration of the
technical and engineering inventive abil¬
ities of members of the American So¬
ciety of Cinematographers is seen in the
widespread national attention and pub¬
licity accorded an electronic radar “see¬
ing eye” developed by Joseph Walker,
A.S.C.
Walker, in addition to being an out¬
standing director of photography in mo¬
tion picture production, finds time to
experiment and research on radio and
electronic devices. His home workshop
and experimental laboratory contains
modern and exacting equipment gen¬
erally only contained in the research lab¬
oratories of the electrical companies.
The “seeing eye” device is currently
contained in a box the size of a portable
radio, although Walker expects to get
the instruments eventually into a case
the size of a folding camera. Inventor
Walker is no newcomer to radio and
wireless, having assisted Dr. Lee De
Forest in 1910 in tests of the world’s
first wireless telephone. He has turned
over the device to the Braille Institute
of America for further testing and de-
Tiedeman Joins Ansco
Dr. John A. Tiedeman, until recently
attached to the U. S. Naval Academy as
a Commander, U.S.N.R. has been ap¬
pointed director of Ansco’s Education
Department. For the past five years, Dr.
Tiedeman was assistant head of the
physics section at Annapolis. Previously,
as a member of the faculty of the Wo¬
man’s College of the University of North
Carolina, he pioneered in offering a
course in photography.
Bell & Howell engineering and manu¬
facturing methods. Distribution of prod¬
ucts made in England will cover the
British empire and certain countries in
Europe and Africa. Duplicates of Bell
& Howell tools and drawings, as well
as consulting engineer,, will be winging
towards the English coast shortly, it is
expected.
The agreements also provide for an
interchange of 16mm film distribution
between the Rank 16mm libraries and
Bell & Howell’s Filmosound libraries.
When in full operation, the deal will
considerably strengthen the British field
of equipment in the standard profes¬
sional 35mm line as well as in the ama¬
teur and substandard lines and give
England and the British colonies the
counterpart of the production of the
Bell & Howell equipment, manufactured
in Chicago.
velopment and along go the patents for
which he has applied.
Apparatus in operation is best de¬
scribed as an auditory range finder for
blind persons. Basically, it embodies
photographic features in that two mo¬
tion picture camera lenses set 10 inches
apart on front side of the box activate
a buzzer to earphones of the carrier
through two photoelectric cells in the
box. It is explained that the closer the
carrier gets to an object in his path, the
buzzing becomes more insistent. Spe¬
cial color filters, also adapted from
cinematography, allow identification of
colors through a wheel that turns the
particular filters in front of the lenses.
Walker points out that the device can¬
not guide a blind person through traffic
or crowds, but it will undoubtedly have
limited uses for the sightless which will
enable the latter to get around easier,
especially at home or in familiar neigh¬
borhoods where landmarks are familiar
through long association. Mainly, it will
allow a blind person to take a turn
around the block without recourse to the
white stick method for tapping to ascer¬
tain that he is still in safe channels.
Bell & Howell Equipment To Be
Manufactured In England
Blind Aid Invented by Joseph Walker,A.S.C.
54
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
^Patent No. 2318910
The friction type head which is unconditionally guar¬
anteed for 5 years, gives super-smooth 360° pan and 80°
tilt action. It is removable, can be easily mounted on
our Hi-Hat” low-base adaptor or Baby "Professional
Junior Tripod base. The large pin and trunnion assures
long, dependable service. A "T" level is attached. The
top-plate can be set for 16mm. E. K. Cine Special, with
or without motor; 35mm. DeVry and B & H Eyemo (with
motor), and with or without alignment gauge.
The standard size tripod base is sturdy. "Spread-leg" de¬
sign affords utmost rigidity and quick, positive height
adjustments. Complete tripod weighs 14 lbs. Low height,
at normal leg spread, 42". Extended height 72". All
workmanship and materials are the finest.
“iP!a®i?ggia®sga!L
with Removable Head
Now Available!
Acclaimed the finest for
every picture taking use.
The new "Professional Junior" Baby
Tripod, shown ready for the Removable
head, weighs S'/2 lbs., is made of
Aluminum with Dural legs having
spurs. Extended height — 21 inches, de¬
pressed — IS inches. It's compact and
sturdy. Quality throughout.
Adaptability: here are illustrated ( I ) the friction type removable "Pro¬
fessional Junior" tripod head that may be affixed to (2) the Standard
Tripod Legs Base and (3) the new all-metal "Baby" tripod and (4) the
"Hi-Hat" by simply fastening the finger-grip head fastening nut that is
shown under it. Note the positive-locking, fluted, height-adjustment
knobs and tie-down rings of the Standard Tripod Base which is standing
on a Triangle.
ISoiv Available to Camera Oivners ami Dealers
"Professional Junior"* Tripods, Baby Tripods, Developing Kits, "Hi-Hats'
and Shiftover Alignment Gauges made by Camera Equipment Co. are
used by the U. S. Navy, Army Air Bases, Signal Corps, Office of Strategic
Services and other Government Agencies — also by many leading News¬
reel companies and 16mm. and 35mm. motion picture producers.
1
FRANK C.
ZUCKER
- \
c
i fllH€RH €c
1600 BROHDUJfly
)uipm€iu(<
\ newyoRKCuy ^
0.
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Los Angeles Eight
President W. D. Garlock won the 1945
contest of Los Angeles 8mm. Club with
his entry, “The Grass Is Green.” Fred
Evans’ “Billy’s Big Adventure” was sec¬
ond, and Sylvia Fairley’s “She Lives
Alone and Likes It” caught the nod for
third. Mildred Caldwell was fourth with
“The Farmer’s Daughter”; John North-
rup fifth with “How to Ski,” and John
E. Walter sixth with “El Camino Real.”
These six pictures were shown at elev¬
enth annual banquet and installation of
officers, held at Scully’s with 125 in
attendance.
Other prize winning films in the con¬
test were shown at the January 8th
meeting at the Bell & Howell Audito¬
rium. These included — in final positions
from seventh to nineteenth — “Rancho
Del Sur,” A. Carmona; “Travelog No.
2,” B. M. Bevans; “Through the Pines,”
H. E. McEvers; “Underwater Pictures,"
John R. Boaz; “Cine Sketches,” William
J. Millar; “Junior Marines,” Ward Dud¬
ley; “Ocean Scenes,” Irwin Dietze;
“Isles of the Pacific,” L. B.. Reed;
“Grand Canyon,” Max Rapp; “Black
Magic,” Adolph Apel; “Autumn
Leaves,” John R. Boaz; “High Sierra
Vacation,” John R. Boaz; and “Vaca¬
tion,” Ed. F. Stout. Garlock was
awarded the Babb Achievement Trophy,
and Bevans won the Horton Vacation
Trophy.
Los Angeles Cinema Club
Guy Nelli captured first prize in an¬
nual film contest of the Los Angeles
Cinema Club with his “Quaint Old Mex¬
ico.” Second award went to Carl H.
Thomsen for his “Caribou Road.” An¬
nouncement of winners in the club’s an-
ual contest was made at the annual
banquet held at Los Angeles Breakfast
Club on January 7, 1946.
Other prize winners were: Dr. Roy E.
Gerstenkorn, third, for “Tropical Ec¬
stasy”; Mrs. Mildred Zimmerman,
fourth, for “Lilac Time in Utah”; Jack
Shandler, fifth, for “Autumn in Yo-
semite”; C. S. Morris, sixth, for “Hono¬
lulu Flight,” and Jim Davis, seventh,
for “Tuna Fishing.”
Metropolitan Club
Judging of the novice film contest of
Metropolitan Motion Picture Club, New
York, has been postponed for a few
months due to lack of sufficient entries
at this time. Prospective entrants prom¬
ise to submit pictures as soon as shoot¬
ing and editing of newly-available film
is completed.
January meeting was held at the
Pennsylvania Hotel on January 17, 1946,
and presented film program highlighted
by Leo Heffernan’s 16mm Kodachrome
subject, “South of 36° North.” Febru¬
ary meeting will be exclusively devoted
to 8mm filming.
Subscriptions Offered
For Contest Prizes
With the post-war revival of contests
by amateur cine clubs, chairmen of such
events in the various organizations are
reminded that AMERICAN CINEMA¬
TOGRAPHER will donate a year's sub¬
scription as a prize. This policy was
adopted several years ago to encourage
amateur contests in the clubs, and to
further activities in the 8 and 16 mm.
fields.
Contest chairman can automatically
set the subscription as a prize on the
list, and advise AMERICAN CINEMA¬
TOGRAPHER of the name and address
of the winner of the award.
Metropolitan Sets Christmas
Film Contest
A special Christmas film contest for
members is announced by Metropolitan
Motion Picture Club of New York, with
films to be submitted before December
1, 1946. Winner of the $25 award will
be announced at Metropolitan’s next
Christmas party to be held around the
middle of December.
Subject must be based on the club’s
Christmas celebration party, or on the
story, “Story of the Christmas Tree.”
Announcement of the contest so far in
advance gives members plenty of time
and opportunity to plan and shoot films
for submission.
Cinema Club of San Francisco
Initial meeting of Cinema Club of
San Francisco for 1946 was held at the
Women’s City Club on evening of Jan¬
uary 15th, at which time the new officers
outlined plans for increased member
participation in programs during the
year.
Film program of the evening in¬
cluded: “The Water Ouzel,” (8mm) by
Rudy Arfsten; “Springtome in Lake
County,” (16mm) by Leon Gagne; and
“The Philippines Pearl of the Pacific,”
(16mm) by William Ward.
Las Casa Club
Regular monthly meeting of the La
Casa Movie Club of Alhambra, Califor¬
nia, was held at the Y. M. C. A. on Jan¬
uary 21, 1946. Evening’s film program
included: “In and Around Yellowstone
Park,” by A. A. Maryott; W. D. Gay-
lock’s prize winning picture, “The Grass
Is Green”; “Isles of the Pacific,” by L.
B. Reed; and “Summer Wanderings in
the High Sierras,” by Graham McCon-
omy.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Fourth Birthday and Awards banquet
of Utah Cine Arts Club of Salt Lake
City was held in the Rose Room of
Newhouse Hotel on evening of January
16, 1946, with 200 members and guests
attending.
Despite film shortages and other
handicaps in filming during the past
year, five members won national movie
award contests; all of which were shot
on kodachrome.
The winning pictures were screened
at the banquet for the assemblage, and
included: “America, the Beautiful”
(8mm) by LeRoy Hansen; “Come Au¬
tumn,” (8mm) by A1 Londema; “Ro¬
mance of a Sawmill,” (8mm) by Miss
Virginia Smith; “Worth Scouting For,”
(8mm) by A1 Morton; and “Ski Time in
the Rockies,” (16mm) by Norman
Shultz.
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
Arrangements have been completed
for permanent meeting headquarters of
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club at the
Hotel Bossert, where sessions have been
held periodically for the past several
years. At meeting on Jan. 2, plans were
discussed for a future “Gala Night” of
the club, and film program included a
400 foot kodachrome reel presented by
Mr. Manfrin, and a circus picture by
Arthur Gross.
Second January meeting on the 23rd
presented program of films including
“Dear Boys” by Charley Debevoise; and
Walter Bergmann’s prize-winner,
“Squeaky.”
Annual contest closed at the meeting
of the 23rd, with entries of members
split up between the “A” and “B”
classes.
Southern Cinema Club
Seventh annual contest and banquet
of the Southern Cinema Club of South-
gate, Calif., was held at the Van Matre
Inn at Huntington Park on January 26,
1946.
Westwood Movie Club
Westwood Movie Club of San Fran¬
cisco held its annual dinner at the Del
Mar Restaurant on evening of January
26, 1946. In addition to providing op¬
portunity for presentation of contest
awards to winner Walter C. Johnson,
and honorable mentions to Harry Ber¬
man, Don Campbell and Leo M. Kerk-
hof, officers for the coming year were
installed with suitable ceremony. These
include: President, Fred Harvey; vice
president, Walter Johnson; treasurer,
Larry Duggan, and secretary, Leo M.
Kerkhom. Film program wound up the
evening.
56
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Brilliant black-and-white ... full-color
Kodachrome • • • 8mm. and 16mm. . . .
in rolls and in magazines.
• It’s been years since there’s been enough Cine-
Kodak Film to go around. But now it’s plentiful
again — any type you want . . . and, perhaps, all
you want.
Make up for the movie opportunities you’ve
missed . . . the picture plans you've postponed,
by loading up with rolls or magazines of these
fine full-color or panchromatic Cine-Kodak Films
— today, as ever, uniformly dependable.
Cine-Kodaks are on the way. Keep in touch
with your Kodak dealer — Cine-Kodaks are coming!
Those all-time favorites, Cine-Kodak Magazine
8 and Magazine 16 — and that peer of all 16mm.
performers, Cine-Kodak Special. Only a few — at
first . . . then more and more in the weeks and
months to come.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY • Rochester 4, N. Y.
SIMPLIFIED MOVIE PROCESSING
IN YOUR OWN DARKROOM
by JAMES R. OSWALD
An understanding of the principles of
motion picture developing is something
to be acquired with advantage by every
serious minded movie maker. Such a
knowledge is beneficial not only from
the standpoint of knowing, in a small
way, what goes on behind the scenes of
the professional processing laboratory,
but also in the sense that picture tak¬
ing, itself, may improve through such
experience. Just as the skilled crafts¬
man in any trade is a better worker
when he is well acquainted with the
tools with which he works, so also
should the movie maker, worthy of the
name, be thoroughly familiar with the
“tools” with which he works.
One of the best ways to learn some
of the characteristics of motion picture
film, and film certainly an important
tool of the cinematographer, is through
practical experience in one’s own dark¬
room. With the aid of simple equip¬
ment, the developing process is carried
on with almost the same ease as that
enjoyed in handling still films, and with
surprising results. For the person who
likes to tinker with tools, such appa¬
ratus as is necessary may be construct¬
ed right at home, or, if preferred, may
be purchased already assembled.
While it is possible to home-process
practically any type of movie film, after
one has advanced beyond the more ele¬
mentary requirements, it is rather fool¬
ish, and certainly inadvisable to handle
film at home that will be processed by
the maker free of charge. There are,
(Continued on Page 69)
I. The film is unspooled in the darkroom onto the
developing rack. The rack should be so constructed
as to fit a conventional size developing tray, such
as 11x14 inch, requiring a minimum of solution.
A rack similar to that illustrated accommodates
approximately 25 feet of film at a time, uses about
a gallon of solution.
2. Closeup showing method of attaching film to rack
by means of rubber band and paper clip. Rubber
band allows for any expansion or contraction of the
film during the different stages of the process. Note
guides which prevent film loops from overlapping.
No part of the picture surface itself actually touches
the rack, since edges of film rest on surface that is
slightly raised from that underneath the picture area.
3. Film is immersed into the developing agent. Or¬
dinary D-72, D-76 or its equivalent, serves as the
developer. For extreme contrast, such as in title
work, D-ll is recommended.
4. As in the case of still films, the solution is con¬
stantly agitated, by rocking. Occasionally, the rack
is turned over in the tray, during the process.
5. After a time, the film begins to darken, like
this. Development is carried on to the length of
time specified by the manufacturer of the particular
developer being used.
t. With development complete, the rack is raised
from the tray, draining off the surplus solution. Film
is then placed into another tray containing water or
a short-stop, and from there into a third tray of
fixing a solution or acid hypo and hardener. If film is
to be reversed, instead of placing in the fiing bath,
it is first put through a bleach, removing the nega¬
tive image, and then "flashed" to a light source,
which exposes the remaining silver salts, to form the
positive image, which is obtained by repeating the
developing step.
7. In either process, the final step is to thoroughly
wash the film in runninq water to remove all traces
of hypo, after which the rack is hung up on wire
hooks to allow the film to dry evenly. Sponging off
excess water helps to prevent spots.
8. The operation complete, the film is left to dry
in a room free from dust. When thoroughly dry, it
is spooled onto a reel, ready for projection.
58
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
16 mm.
Talking Pictures in the
Home of Today!
With the new
Ampro Sound-on-film
Projector
It’s here now — the modern motion pic¬
ture theatre in the comfortable privacy
of your own living room — with com¬
plete programs of sound films combin¬
ing entertainment, music, news,
education and travel. Through the
compact, low-cost, easy-to-operate
Ampro 16 mm. projector you can make
the large and rapidly expanding libraries
of 16 mm. sound films available to your
family and friends. You can hear and
see what you want when you want it.
Ampro projectors add a new dimension
of pleasure to your home life. Ask your
dealer to demonstrate an Ampro to
you today!
Illustrated here is the new Amprosound Premier
10 — offering superb tone quality, brilliant illumi¬
nation, centralized controls — and many other
exclusive war-tested features. Write for com¬
plete descriptive circular giving prices and full
details.
The Army-Navy "E”
has been awarded to
Ampro for excellence
in the production of 16
mm. motion picture
projectors.
AMPRO CORPORATION • CHICAGO 18
A General Precision Equipment Corporation Subsidiary
8 mm. silent ... 16 mm. silent... 16 mm.
sound -on -film... 16 mm. arc
projectors . . . accessories
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
59
New Western Electric Sound
Recorder For 16mm. and 35mm.
New Western Electric sound recordina system, which will enable producers to record standard original or
release type of sound tracks on either 35 mm. or 16 mm. film. Shown above on the table are (left to right)
the new portable Amplifier-Noise Reduction Unit, Power Supply Unit, and the Recorder.
"Surfboard Rhythm" Acquired
by MGM for Pete Smith
Sportshort
“Surfboard Rhythm,” produced by
Telefilm Studios in 16 mm. under direc¬
tion of Charles Trego, has been pur¬
chased by Pete Smith and will be re¬
leased in his 35 mm. sports short series
at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is
replete with unusual camera angles in¬
cluding scenes shot from waterproofed
camera mounted on a surfboard, which
could not have been taken with more
ponderous 35 mm. equipment, Telefilm
maintains. Surfboard champions were
featured in the short.
Ampro Distributor for Canada
Telephoto Industries Limited of To¬
ronto has been formed to handle distri¬
bution and servicing of Ampro 16 mm.
motion picture equipment and acces¬
sories in Canada and Newfoundland.
Paul Nathanson, head of the Cana¬
dian Odeon theatre circuit and operator
of film exchanges in the Dominion, or¬
ganized the new company. C. Ray Har¬
nett, Canadian visual education expert,
has been appointed general manager of
Telephoto Industries.
Acquisition of the Ampro line of 16
mm. sound projectors and equipment indi¬
cates future plans of Nathanson to ex¬
pand his theatre operations throughout
Canada with establishment of theatres in
smaller communities where regulation
35 mm. theatres have not been operating.
A new recording system, which will
enable producers to record any of the
standard original or release type of
sound tracks on either 35mm. or 16mm.
film has been announced by the Elec¬
trical Research Products Division of the
Western Electric Company, to be avail¬
able within the next few months.
According to technical papers recent¬
ly presented before the 58th Semi-An¬
nual Technical Conference of the So¬
ciety of Motion Picture Engineers at the
Hotel Pennsylvania, the new recording
device, smaller in size and weight, rep¬
resents a marked departure in design
from equipment in use today. Features
of the new design are simplicity of
mechanical parts and freedom from crit¬
ical adjustments, more rapid threading
of film, adaptability to either variable
area or density recording, and the re¬
duction of flutter to extraordinarily low
values. Its unit assembly type of con¬
struction and the introduction of vari¬
ous innovations permit flexibility in
meeting a variety of recording require¬
ments including changing from 35mm.
to 16mm. in a matter of minutes by the
use only of a screw driver.
The new portable Amplifier-Noise Re¬
duction Unit with a Power Supply Unit
is suitable for use with newsreel cam¬
eras for single film recording or with
the new recorder where an inexpensive
double film system is required. Two
microphone input positions are provid¬
ed, and noise reduction and volume lim¬
iting are included.
THESE CAMERAS MAKE 14 MM. HISTORY — Here are cameras, specially adapted with motor drive and
special lenses and mounts, designed and built by technicians of Telefilm Studios of Hollywood for purpose
of covering horse races at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita tracks in California. Head-on films are shot
of races from start to finish from six towers around the course.
60 February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
ifinietican Snoiex Jocnt/tatty
—
iMnwcitMcwia, . .
AMBOL TRU-PAN TRIPOD
BY AMERICAN BOLEX COMPANY’
PRECISION ENGINEERED!
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REVOLUTIONARY IN TRIPOD DESIGN —
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STRENGTH ENOUGH TO SUPPORT 200 LBS.
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telescopic aluminum legs designed so
there is no “play” at Joints whatsoever
SPRINGS AND SPLIT BUSHING in
sliding leg members prevents
wobble and assures smooth/ pre-
cise operation
LARGE, MILLED LOCKING LEG
GRIPS permit certain and instant
lock with grip that cannot be
pulled apart
REVERSIBLE STEEL POINT OR RUB¬
BER FEET holds stand firmly on
any surface
FOLDS INTO SMALL, EASILY PORT¬
ABLE PACKAGE so light this tripod
will be with you when you want
it . . . you will carry the AMBOL
because of its lightness and be
cause you will be proud of it
The AMBOL TRU-PAN TRIPOD is new in design and
precise in operation. It is fully machined and pre¬
cision built. Only machining can give the preci¬
sion required for smooth operation in a pan-tilt
head. There is not one die-cast part in the ambol
tru-PAN. Its smooth operation is amazing. One
inspection at your Dealer’s will make you the
owner of one of these, the finest low or medium
priced tripods ever made.
Operates efficiently with all cameras, "still” or
movie, weighing from a few ounces to many
pounds. No camera too light and none too heavy
for the ambol tru-pan. Special attachment for
press cameras. Fully guaranteed. Price, $43.10 in¬
cluding excise tax. Ask your Dealer to demon¬
strate. If not yet in his stock when you call, please
writeus for literatureand give us the Dealer’s name.
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
61
Report of SMPE
( Continued
developed by RCA and will be manufac¬
tured in quantities as soon as there is a
commercial demand. This tube will be
known as the 1P37. It is to be expected
that satisfactory tubes will be made
available by other manufacturers.
Tubes of this new type appear to have
some advantages over the Ag-O-Cs tube.
For example, the sensitivity at shorter
wavelengths makes possible a marked
increase in resolution of the slit image.
This, and related factors, are described
in, detail in the several papers which are
scheduled for presentation later in the
Conference. From the comments of those
who have experimented with the new
tubes, it appears that this new unit is a
remarkably good tool and one which
promises to have a widespread use. In
fact, it is very much in order for this
industry to consider the proposition to
replace the present infrared sensitive
phototubes in projectors with tubes of
this new type. The merits of the new
unit can be summed up by saying that
had it been developed prior to the Ag-O-
Cs tube there would not now be any
thought of replacing the former with the
latter; and this statement can be made
without considering the new potentiali¬
ties of the new tube for color sound
tracks.
The chief merit of *he Ag-O-Cs tube,
PRECISION LENSES
For Immediate Delivery
a
Bausch & Lomb Baltar F 2.3 50mm.
Bausch & Lomb Baltar F 2.3 75mm.
Soerz Apogar F 2.3 35mm.
Seminat F 3.5 150mm.
If desired can be furnished
coated or mounted to your
specifications.
V
NATIONAL
Cine Laboratories
20 West 22nd Street
NEW YORK CITY
Color Committee
from Page 48)
then, is reduced to the fact that it is
already in widespread use. But, for sound
reproduction, the threat of obsolescence
hangs over it.
The results made possible by the use
of tubes of this new type with sound
tracks on color film will be the subject
of additional papers at this and subse¬
quent Conferences (of the SMPE). The
way in which tracks of ferric-ferrocya-
nide and of silver sulphide react with the
new tube also needs study. In this con¬
nection it should be noted that ferric-
ferrocyanide is not nearly so transparent
in the range of sensitivity of the new
tubes as are the great majority of dyes
in the near infrared region. And it ap¬
pears from preliminary tests that the
iron-tone track can be adapted to the
new tube.
The Color Committee wishes to stress
the fact that in tubes of this new type
we have a new and useful tool which
opens up possibilities of simplification of
processing of sound tracks on color film.
Considering the matter of prospective
future replacement, the Committee
wishes to stress the matter of inter¬
changeability and standardization, par¬
ticularly in the 35 mm. field. There are
apparently two different characteristic
constructions, and it is not clear from
published data whether or not there is
a variation in spectral sensitivity be¬
tween the two constructions.
If, as, and when new tubes of this
description are adopted by the industry,
such a change must be world-wide and
accomplished with the minimum of con¬
fusion. The Committee recommends that
the Society communicate with the British
Kinematograph Society and other simi¬
lar organizations in all countries, to the
end that a norm of performance for such
tubes be set up. This norm should apply
to both the optical and electrical charac¬
teristics.
The Committee believes that in the
first instance this prospective change¬
over need be considered only for 35 mm.
film. The change-over in the 16 mm. field
is a rather different matter, and with
regard to that the Committee has no rec¬
ommendations at the present time.
The SMPE Color Committee making
the above informative report comprised:
J. A. Ball, chairman; M. R. Boyer, G. A.
Chambers, L. E. Clark, R. O. Drew, R. M.
Evans, J. L. Forrest, J. G. Frayne, L. T.
Goldsmith, A. M. Gundelfinger, A. C.
Hardy, W. C. Miller, L. L. Ryder and
J. G. White.
Ansco Factory Expanding
Ansco has embarked on a construction
project to greatly increase factory ca¬
pacity for the manufacture of raw film
and other photographic products. Build¬
ing program under way provides for out¬
lay of more than $10,000,000, with the
present factory at Binghamton, New
York.
Lmm. Accessories by
Micro-Engineering
Rapid expansion of 16mm film activi¬
ties in professional fields to generate
need for precision instruments and ac¬
cessories similar to apparatus in use in
the regulation studio production, has
dictated formation of Micro-Engineering
Corp. Latter plans design and manu¬
facture of various precision-made acces¬
sories and equipment for 16mm profes¬
sional use, especially in laboratory
processing and editing.
Len H. Roos, A. S. C., veteran cine¬
matographer, film war correspondent,
and producer, is president of the new
company, which has available a large
plant equipped with nearly $1,000,000
worth of precision machine tools and
machinery for the manufacture of the
16mm accessories. Ben Levin, Holly¬
wood attorney recently returned from
the AAF, is vice president, while B.
Weldon Hancock will take charge of
sales and distribution.
Initial product developed in the re¬
search division of Micro-Engineering to
be placed on the market is a 16mm
splicing machine said to be original in
both concept and construction. Its pre¬
cision tooling is as exacting as splicers
turned out for the studios.
Features include base and movable
platen arms of dural, finished in black
crackle lacquer with polished trim.
Platens are stainless steel, hardened,
ground and polished to exacting smooth¬
ness. Oilite bearings throughout elimi¬
nate necessity of oiling.
One registration pin in the left platen,
together with cutout guides at the ends
of the extra long platens, insures cor¬
rect registration regardless of any film
shrinkage. Scraper is an integral part
of the machine, and cannot be mis¬
placed. Its preset blade is of carboloy,
which gives it virtually a diamond-
hardness and years of service without
necessity of replacement. Semi-auto¬
matic in operation, the scraper cuts to
a depth of .0015 inch and width of .070
inch in one movement, with a spring
action returning the scraper to original
position.
Lowering of the right platen auto¬
matically cuts both ends of the film
exactingly, while pressure springs hold
the platens together for the seal, which
is accomplished with both speed and
accuracy. Heating unit in base main¬
tains constant temperature of 110° on
the platens to enable sealing and drying
of the splice in a matter of seconds.
Automatic control prevents overheating.
In marketing the new professional
splicer, Mr. Roos discloses that develop¬
ment is currently in progress on a syn¬
chronizing machine, a film polisher, a
sound reader and viewer, and an editing
viewer, for the 16mm producers and
studios. Initial models of several ax*e
now in construction.
62
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
,
FILM PROCESSING
EQUIPMENT IS THE ANSWER
TODAY'S business operations are being speeded and simplified by
the use of microfilm and motion pictures. By offering facilities
for fast, local processing of such film, the owner of Houston Film
Processing Equipment can build a profitable, permanent business.
Users of film are everywhere. Mercantile establishments, financial
institutions, government agencies and others use microfilm for
copying and recording. Manufacturers and sales organizations use
both 16 mm. and 35 mm. motion pictures for training and sales.
Studios an'd photographic supply stores constantly need film
processing.
To these and scores of other users of film the Houston owner offers
a needed service— a service becoming increasingly necessary to every
community. Houston equipment is the proven answer.
r¥0U4l<Ut Model 11 — Processes 16 mm.
negative, positive and reversal film. Processing speeds
up to 20 feet per min.
Houston Film Processing Equipment is designed and built by men
who know the needs of this industry. Fully automatic , compact and
completely self-contained , these machines require no extra equip¬
ment. Write for illustrated folder and prices.
rTCMd-Cctot Model 10 — Processes 35 mm.
negative and positive film. Processing speeds up to
2400 feet per hour.
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 W. OLYMPIC BLVD. • LOS ANGELES 25, CALIF.
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American Cinematographer • February, 1946
63
Make
you get it !
“Snow shots can fool you," says
Eaton Cromwell, expert travel pho¬
tographer, “but not when you use
a G-E exposure meter. Simply de¬
cide whether you want snowy tex¬
ture or shadow detail — then believe
your G-E!”
Let the new G-E meter help you.
Easy to use. Proved accuracy. Im¬
proved light cell. Sturdier. 22%
lighter. Don’t wait! See your photo
dealer and get a G-E meter now.
General Electric Company, Sche¬
nectady 5, N. Y.
3 meters in one . ..
for better pictures,
for darkroom, and
for balancing light.
*23”
including
Federal tax
GENERAL
ELECTRIC
606 - 1 62 M- 6336
Current Assignments of A.S. C. Members
As this issue of American Cine¬
matographer goes to press A.S.C. Di¬
rectors of Photography are assigned to
the following feature productions:
Columbia Studios
Joseph Walker, “The A1 Jolson Story”
(Technicolor).
Charles Lawton, Jr., “The Walls Came
Down” with Lee Bowman and Marguerite
Chapman.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Ray June, “But Not Goodbye,” with
Frank Morgan and Keenan Wynn.
Charles Salerno, Jr., “Faithful in My
Fashion,” with Donna Reed, Tom Drake,
Edward Everett Horton, and Spring By-
ington.
Sid Wagner, “Fiesta” (Technicolor),
with Esther Williams and John Carroll.
Hal Rosson, “Three Wise Fools,” with
Margaret O’Brien, Lionel Barrymore,
Lewis Stone, Edward Arnold and Thomas
Mitchell.
Monogram
Harry Neumann, “West of the Alamo,”
with Jimmy Wakely.
William Sickner, “The Shadows Shad¬
ow,” with Kane Richmond, Barbara
Reed.
Paramount
Ray Rennahan, “California” (Techni¬
color), starring Ray Milland, Barbara
Stanwyck, Barry Fitzgerald.
Russell Metty, “The Perfect Mar¬
riage,” (Hal Wallis Prod.) with Loretta
Young, David Niven, Nona Giffith, Vir¬
ginia Field.
Lionel Lindon, “O. S. S.,” with Alan
Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald.
RKO SCtudios
Robert de Grasse, “Crack-Up” with
Pat O’Brien, Claire Trevor, Herbert Mar¬
shall, Wallace Ford.
Leo Tovar, “Desirable Woman,” with
Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan, Charles
Bickford, Virginia Huston.
Roy Hunt, “A Likely Story,” with Bill
Williams, Barbara Hale.
George Barnes, “Sister Kenny,” with
Rosalind Russell, Alexander Knox, Dean
Jagger.
20th Century-Fox
Ernest Palmer, “Three Little Girls in
Blue” (Technicolor), with June Haver,
Vivian Blaine, George Montgomery,
Frank Latimore.
Harry Jackson, “Strange Triangle,”
with Signe Hasso, John Sheppard, Ana-
bel Shaw.
Leon Shamroy, “The Shocking Miss
Pilgrim” (Technicolor), starring Betty
Gable and Dick Haymes.
Arthur Miller, “Anna and the King of
Siam,” starring Irene Dunne and Rex
Harrison, with Linda Darnell and Gale
Sondergaard.
Joseph La Shelle, “Cluny Brown,” with
Charles Boyer, Jennifer Jones, Helen
Walker, Sir Aubrey Smith.
Glen MacWilliams, “It Shouldn’t Hap¬
pen to a Dog,” with Carole Landis,
Allyn Joslyn, Henry Morgan.
Charles Clarke, “Margie,” (Techni¬
color) with Jeanne Crain, Alan Young,
Glenn Langan, Lynn Bari, Hattie Mc¬
Daniel, Esther Dale.
United Artists
Lucien Androit, “The Strange; Woman,”
(Mars Film Corp.) with Hedy Lamarr,
George Sanders, Louis Hayward, Gene
Lockhart.
James Van Trees, “Me and Mr. Satan,”
(Premier Prods) with Paul Muni, Anne
Baxter, Claude Rains.
Karl Strauss, “Mr. Ace and the
Queen,” (Tivoli Prods) with George Raft,
Sylvia Sidney, Sid Silvers.
Universal
Hal Mohr, “Shahrazad,” (Technicolor)
with Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy,
Jean Pierre Aumont, Eve Arden.
George Robinson, “Love Takes a Holi¬
day,” with Joan Davis, Jack Oakie,
Mischa Auer.
Warner Brothers
James Wong Howe, “The Sentence,”
with Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith.
Arthur Edeson, “Two Guys From
Milwaukee,” with Dennis Morgan, Jack
Carson, Joan Leslie, S. Z Sakall.
Ernest Haller, “Humoresque,” starring
Joan Crawford and John Garfield; with
Oscar Levant, Ruth Nelson.
Aerial Mapping War Aid
Post-war aerial photography pro¬
grams of government agencies and com¬
mercial users are far expanded over pre¬
war days, it was revealed at the annual
meeting of the American Society of Pho-
togrammetry, in Washington (Jan. 16-
18). Speakers pointed out that because
90 per cent of U. S. military intelligence
during World War II was secured from
aerial photos, photogrammetry — the
science of using these photos to make
maps and charts — has a bright future.
Gerald FitzGerald of the U. S. Coast
and Geodetic Survey, who, as an Air
Forces colonel during the war brought
the system of trimetrogon photography
— using three wide-angle aerial cameras
in synchronization to take horizon-to-
horizon pictures — to perfection, was
elected the new president of the Society.
Vice president is Revere G. Sanders of
the Fairchild Camera and Instrument
Corporation, who was also honored with
the Society’s Abrams Award for a paper
he had written on stereoscopy.
Bolex Camera Reported Stolen
American Bolex Company broadcasts
information on theft of a Bolex camera
in Chicago on Dec. 16th, 1945, from auto
of William Parker Ward.
Dealers and others are asked to watch
for possible offering of sale of the cam¬
era, described as a 16 mm. Bolex, No.
13136, with a one inch lens No. 452586,
17 mm. fixed focus f2.7, General Electric
light meter, and other equipment.
Any information on the camera should
be directed to either the owner, William
Parker Ward, 10 South LaSalle St., Chi¬
cago 3, Ill., or F. M. Cascaden at Amer¬
ican Bolex Co., 521 Fifth Ave., New
York.
64
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Government Subsidy and
Control for Czechoslovakia
Films
Future film production activities in
Czechoslovakia will be under the com¬
plete control, domination and subsidy of
the government, it is disclosed in latest
reports from that country. The Czech
government has already reorganized its
film industry, with a Prague newspaper
disclosing:
“The film generally in the new state
has been incorporated into the Ministry
of Information. The chief of this section
is Viteslav Nezval (the most famous
Czech living poet and novelist). His ad¬
visory body is the Czechoslovak Film
Council, which has as members repre¬
sentatives of all the branches of the in¬
dustry, as well as the Ministry of Edu¬
cation, the Board of Trade, the Institute
for the Furtherance of Cultural Relations
with the USSR, the film production
group, and the Film Workers Union.
“The executive organs of the Czecho¬
slovak Film Council will be the following
four committees: Committee for Drama¬
tic Art; Artistic Technical Committee;
Policy Committee, and Press Committee.
“All production of motion pictures has
been put into the hands of the First
Czech Company for the Production of
Motion Pictures, which runs all the ex¬
isting studios and production groups. For
Slovakia there is a parallel company.
Distribution is centralized and state con¬
trolled. Directly state owned and oper¬
ated are the newsreel company, docu¬
mentary and instructional units, and the
state institute for exhibition, of which
one department is the Administration
A VAILABLE
35mm.
Akeley Camera — 7 Sets Lenses, Cases, Ex¬
tras, Tripod.
Arriflex Camera, 12V, Motor Attached, 28-
50-75 — FI. 8 Astro Pan Tachar Lenses —
Magazines — Cases, $1075.00.
De Brie Model 1 L" Camera, Astro F2.3
Lens, Motor, Tripod.
Round 2-Inch and 3-lnc!i Square Filters.
Tripods — Sunshades.
16mm.
Bolex Complete with 3 Lenses, 200 - Foot
Magazine Attached, Synchronous Motor,
Camart Tripod, Auricon Recorder — Com¬
plete $1750.00. All Like New.
Complete Maurer D Recorder.
New Presto Disc 78-33 1/3 Recorder, Mi¬
crophone, Stand, $350.00.
Send for Semi Professional Camart
Tripod Circular
THE CAMERA MART
70 WEST 45th STREET
NEW YORK 19, N. Y.
Cable: CAMERAMART
Address Communications to
Irving Browning
of State Cinemas; also administration of
mobile projection units, works cinemas,
school cinemas and sub-standard in
general.
“The Czechoslovak Film Institute
trains artistic and technical workers, ad¬
ministrates the film archives and library,
and the film press.
“The Administration of State Cinemas
will look after all cinemas (theatres) on
Czechoslovak territory. There will be no
privately-owned theatres, the reason for
which will be obvious to all citizens, con¬
sidering the important role the film has
to play in the life of the nation.”
The Czechoslovak studios were virtu¬
ally unharmed during the war, and the
Germans had no opportunity to move
out equipment, as happened in other
overrun countries. Studio at Barrandow,
near Prague, contains 11 stages, two of
which are reported to be the largest in
Europe at this time.
Most important factor in getting the
Czechoslovakian film -industry back to
normal production along the lines being
outlined by the state is raw film stock.
None is manufactured in the country,
and all such supplies had previously
come from Germany. With the latter’s
film manufacturers still in state of sus¬
pension as a result of Allied occupation,
there is no assurance when sufficient sup¬
plies of positive and negative will be
obtained to enable the Czech government
to produce on scale planned; although
there is a limited supply of negative on
hand for some filming for the time being.
During the War—
E. M. BERNDT CORP.
produced sound - on - film-
recording equipment that
went to the Armed services.
NOW-
We hope to furnish the
same high quality and
service to our peace-time
customers.
Auricon division
E. M. BERNDT CORP.
7377 BEVERLY BOULEVARD
LOS ANGELES 36, CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON-FILM
RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931
COMPLETE.. .B&H Filmotion Editors
8mm.
The same Editor as described above
. . . with film channel and optical
system designed for 8mm. film.
Image on viewing screen is 2Vixl3A
in. As in the 16mm. Filmotion Edi¬
tor, you see your films as actual mini¬
ature movies. Spots cutting points
easily and quickly. Complete with
Viewer, Model 136 Splicer, two Re¬
winds on extension arms. Viewer
can be purchased separately.
16mm. The new E&H Filmotion Edi¬
tor, finest that money can buy, draws
the film through a scratch-proof chan¬
nel, casts motion pictures brightly on
a 3x2V2-in. ground glass screen, re¬
cessed for easy viewing. Framing and
focusing controls. Complete with
Viewer, Model 136 Splicer, and two
Heavy-Duty Rewinds. Parts available
separately.
SEE YOUR FILMO DEALER NOW
Heavy-Duty
Rewinds
Attach rigidly to
eachsideof Splicer.
Take 16mm. reels
up to 2000 feet.
Geared for 2
speeds or "free
wheeling.”
B&H editing equipment is available
now at your dealer’s ... or he can get
it promptly. See him, or write Bell &
Howell Company, 7148 McCormick
Road, Chicago 4 3.
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
65
The Subjective Camera
Your Best Investment — (continued from Page 46)
VICTORY BONDS
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GOERZ AMERICAN
If
PRECISION PHOTO LENSES
An American Product Since 1899
46 YEARS IN THE FRONT LINE OF
PHOTO-OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
Because of their excellence in performance in all
branches of photography, in war or peace, the
demand for them has tremendously increased.
It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
backlog of orders, for so many different types
and sizes, and build up our war-depleted stock
for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest possible deliv¬
ery we urge you to place NOW throuqh your
dealer your order for the lens you have selected.
You will be repaid for your patience manifold
with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
REMEMBER:
For making first-class pictures, a
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
lens will give you a lifetime of pleasure
The c. p. GOERZ AMERICAN
OPTICAL COMPANY
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AC-2
a sound off camera, and registered fright
when she realized that she was not
alone. At this point, the camera sub¬
jectively assumed the point of view of
the killer. The frantic charwoman, di¬
recting her attention straight at the lens,
backed slowly away; while the camera,
simulating the lurching gait of the
killer, began to close in on her. Terrified,
the woman cowered against the wall as
the camera lumbered ever closer, ending
up in a stark close-up of her frenzied
face. When the fade-out came, the killer
had not once been shown, and yet the
audience had had the unique jolting ex¬
perience of having directly participated
in a murder.
As with any original cinematic tech¬
nique, the subjective treatment is some¬
times misused. Attempts to go “arty”
with the device only succeed in confus¬
ing the audience and clouding the dra¬
matic significance of the subject matter.
For instance, some years ago a French
film version of “Crime and Punishment”
was released on the continent and later
shown in certain select theaters in Amer¬
ica. Following the fade-in in one se¬
quence, the audience found itself gazing
up into the faces of three characters
who were bending over the camera,
gesticulating toward the lens and dis¬
cussing a fourth character. Over con¬
tinuous dialogue the scene then cut to a
shot straight down at the face of a
young man who was awakening. About
fhis time the audience realized that it
had been seeing the first three characters
from the view point of the young man
who was just awakening and whom
they were discussing.
This sequence utilized the subjective
treatment — but its use in this particular
instance was forced. When the scene
faded in and the audience found itself
gazing up at three strange characters, it
is true that certain elements of surprise
and suspense were established. But for
several seconds the audience was lost,
so that a good deal of the dialogue went
by unnoticed while the audience strug¬
gled to orient itself. Obviously, what¬
ever originality was achieved by the use
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of the device was outweighed by the con¬
fusion that followed and by the loss of
dramatic meaning within the sequence.
A subjective scene cannot simply be
tossed into a sequence at any point. It
must be motivated by, and definitely
linked to, the objective scenes that pre¬
cede and follow it. For instance, if we
had a sequence in which two men were
engaged in an argument that was later
to develop into a fist fight, we might
have a straight objective shot showing
the two men in their relationship to each
other as the argument began. As the
action mounted, over-the shoulder close-
ups would be intercut. Finally there
would be a subjective shot of one of the
men in close-up directing his dialogue
straight at the camera, finally drawing
back his fist and aiming it straight at
the lens. There would be a quick cut
to the other man’s face as he received
the impact of the blow, and our con¬
tinuity would be complete.
In a case like this, the one subjective
scene would not be merely a trick shot
thrown in for haphazard effect, but a
carefully planned dynamic device to
make the audience experience the impact
of the blow as it was struck.
Alfred Hitchcock, who not without
good reason is known as the “Master of
Suspense,” is one of the directors who
has used the subjective camera to good
advantage. In his precedent-breaking
film: “Lifeboat,” photographed by Glenn
McWilliams, Tallulah Bankhead is shown
sitting in the boat while John Hodiak,
another victim of the shipwreck, swims
toward her. She coolly takes up her hand
movie camera and shoots some footage
of him as he struggles to reach the boat.
At this point, Mr. Hitchcock cut to a
subjective angle showing the man as
she saw him through the view-finder of
her camera.
In this instance, the device was used
more for novelty than for any deep
psychological effect, although it empha¬
sized a certain facet of Miss Bankhead’s
character by showing the cool, detached
manner in which she preferred to view
the struggles of her fellow man. In a
film such as “Lifeboat,” where the mo¬
bility of the camera was necessarily
limited by the nqjrowness of the locale,
a shot such as tftfs added an element of
variety and cinematic punch to an other¬
wise straightforward camera treatment.
Mr. Hitchcock, aided by the camera
artistry of George Barnes, A.S.C., used
the subjective approach even more effec¬
tively in one of his more recent films,
“Spellbound,” a phychological love story.
In one sequence the amnesia victim,
played by Gregory Peck, is given a
drugged glass of milk, and a good deal
of the motivation at that point of the
story depends upon whether or not he
drinks the milk. After a series of straight
objective shots narrowing down to a
close-up of him raising the glass to his
lips, a cut is made to a subjective shot
showing what he sees as he drinks the
glass of milk. As the glass is slowly
tipped up, the action in the background
66
February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
becomes subordinated by the edge of the
glass until the white liquid gurgles up
around the lens blanking out the scene
for a fade-out.
Purists might complain that in this
case the device was forced, but actually
i,t added a good deal to the impression
that this man was viewing his sur¬
roundings in a very narrow way, hemmed
in, as he was, by amnesia. It helped the
audience to assume his warped point of
view.
Again, in the same film, the subjective
device was used even more effectively.
During the climatic sequence, when the
exposed murderer is about to kill the
young psychiatrist played by Ingrid
Bergman, the camera becomes the mur¬
derer’s eye. We see what he sees as he
sits in his chair with his gun pointed
at his victim. In a unique composition
we see his hand and gun in the fore¬
ground of the frame, and Miss Bergman
in the background as he slowly tracks
her course of movement about the room.
Then, as she convinces him that another
murder can solve nothing, he slowly
turns the gun on himself (i.e., at the
camera) and fires.
The impact of this scene was amazing.
Audiences viewing it become participants
in expected murder (vicariously, of
course), and then became victims of a
suicide. They were drawn wholeheartedly
into the action and allowed to partici¬
pate. The suspense was masterfully
built to a climax, and the denouncement
packed a wallop. “Spellbound” is a better
film for so original a device.
Closely allied with this visually sub¬
jective type of scene is the kind of sub¬
jective sequence that pictures the mental
conflicts suffered by a character. This
type of sequence usually takes the form
of a montage picturing either the dis¬
tortions of a dream or the disconnected
impressions of a deranged mind. An
especially good example of this device
was the almost-frightening subjective
montage used to portray the nervous
breakdown of a character in the film:
“Blues in the Night.”
This montage, technically one of the
finest ever put on the screen took a num¬
ber of realistic objects from the life of
the character, whirled them around,
distorted them, and exaggerated certain
details, just as a man’s mind would do if
he were suffering a mental crack-up.
Most dream sequences are not truly
subjective— since the camera is still a
detached observer, merely recording what
the characters are supposedly dreaming.
However, the surrealistic dream sequence
designed by artist Salvador Dali for the
film “Spellbound,” held a certain subjec¬
tive feeling because it showed impres¬
sions as they were received by the char¬
acter, not realistic — but distorted, and
shown from his point of view.
Recently the author wrote the screen¬
play for a two-reel short subject which
is entirely subjective. That is to say,
everything that appears on the screen
is shown as it is seen by the main char¬
acter, so that obviously he himself is
never seen until the climax of the film
when he appears before a mirror. The il¬
lusion of complete subjectivity is height¬
ened by a stream-of-consciousness nar¬
ration bended with direct dialogue.
It is, of course, self-evident that such
a film could only be placed on the screen
as a novelty short. A feature-length film
done entirely with this approach would
become monotonous. However, the use of
single subjective scenes or sequences
carefully motivated and executed in a
feature-length screenplay (whose sub¬
ject matter calls for such a device) — can
be of immense value in bringing the
audience into the story. Properly used,
it becomes an integral part of the over¬
all approach of the film, and perfectly
utilizes the camera as the “eye” of the
motion picture.
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American Cinematographer • February, 1946
67
Shooting AAF Training Films
(Continued from Page 43)
Mitchells. At various times, AT-6s and
AT-lls were employed, but type of cam¬
era ship depended entirely on air speed
required in flight to follow the subject
planes of the specific filming job.
Ingenuity on Location
With a small camera crew, and neces¬
sarily compact camera equipment flown
to the fields for filming operations, it
was necessary to continually improvise
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various methods to achieve desired re¬
sults. For example, where moving cam¬
era shots were desired, there were no
studio running insert cars, with special
construction to insure steadiness of the
camera, available thousands of miles
from Hollywood. So camera parallels
were mounted on trucks, and tires of
the latter were deflated about half of
normal pressure to insure smoothness
in operation to secure the required run¬
ning shots.
At Wright Field, on one assignment,
Captain Tutwiler was required to make
several interior shots with photoflood
lighting; and desks were used for the
camera standards. Improvision was the
rule rather than the exception on near¬
ly every film, and the small crew of
three versed in film production tech¬
nique in the studios generally was able
to achieve the desired results with quite
satisfactory results.
Color and Black-and-White 35mm
During his three years with the AAF
photographic unit, Captain Tutwiler
used 35mm negative exclusively, and
never once was assigned to make 16mm
size. Of the large amount of color ex¬
posed, it was all 35mm monopack which
was processed by Technicolor.
Special Effects Technique Used
Much use of special effects photogra¬
phy was made by Captain Tutwiler,.
who explains that many instances arose
where it was necessary to accentuate
specific features for more direct and
impressive visual instruction, and back¬
ground plates were incorporated, espe¬
cially for close-ups of the actors in the
mockups. Of his own air footage, Cap¬
tain Tutwiler discloses that 95 per cent
was actually shot in or from planes, and
there was no recourse to miniatures.
Only exception was a few instances
where plane explosion shots were re¬
quired by the script.
Navy Blimp as Air Parallel
In making films of the performance
of the P-51 (Mustang), script require¬
ments called for complete loops, Immel-
mans, and other fast air gymnastics.
Such shots were impossible to obtain
from another plane of any type. So the
Air Force called on the Navy for loan
of a blimp to allow the camera to re¬
main stationary in the air and follow
the intricate and lightning-fast maneu¬
vers of the P-51 while the latter was in
flight. In other words, the Navy blimp
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An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals always in stock.
became virtually a camera platform sus¬
pended in the air 4,000 feet above the
ground. Idea of using the blimp for the
filming which could not have been
achieved in any other manner was gen¬
erated by Captain Tutwiler and the base
liaison officer to solve the problem. Co¬
operation of the Navy for use of the
blimp was readily obtained from the
Richmond Naval Air Base, Florida.
Captain Tutwiler utilized a blimp on
a second occasion when he was assigned
to handle high speed photography on
parachute jumps from the B-32. The
blimp as an aerial camera platform
again solved an otherwise impossible
camera problem.
Equipment and Lens Used
Most of the air filming by Captain
Tutwiler was shot with a 50mm lens,
and at no time did he go beyond a
100mm. His professional reason was
that, in extreme long focal length
lenses, it is impossible to avoid natural
vibration while shooting from a plane.
His filters varied all the way from
the 15 to 29 filters and combinations,
depending on what effects were re¬
quired. A rack-over Bell & Howell cam¬
era equipped with Zeiss 3.5 lens — all
elements of which were coated — was
principally used by Captain Tutwiler;
while all high-speed photography was
accomplished with a special Mitchell
speed camera.
Final Assignments
One of Captain Tutwiler’s final as¬
signments with the AAF photographic
units was the filming of a special in¬
structional reel — top secret— detailing
the use and operation of radar in firing
guns at night from the big Flying
Fortress bombers. It was a highly tech¬
nical subject in both itself and photo¬
graphically, and was used for the in¬
struction of bomber crews during the
final attacks on Japan.
The P-51 fighter sequence in “The
Last Bomb,” a special War Department
documentary feature in four reels which
is to be released through the theatres,
was photographed by Captain Tutwiler
entirely in Monopack.
Captain Tutwiler is particularly proud
of special commendation issued in Jan¬
uary, 1944, by Col. P. H. Robey of the
XX Bomber Command, Smoky Hill
Army Air Field, Salina, Kansas, for his
flight and operational training film of
the B-29.
Although he had many narrow es¬
capes while with the AAF, Captain
Tutwiler did not sustain any sort of
injury while on duty. He did, however,
sprain an ankle in the surf at Florida
while swimming, which only goes to
demonstrate that the safer a place
seems to be, you can get into trouble!
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Uiad in Every Major Studio
lllustratad Lltaratura on Raquait
Manufacturad by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 28, Calif.
68 February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
/ tvant to buy your
• Contax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
fffass
Camera Co.
179 W. MADISON ST
CHICACO 2, ILL
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your '
SILENT FILMS
( Music * Narration • Special Effects )
LET us convert your 16 mm picture to a sound film
of the highest quality. Skilled technical staff, and
finest sound recording equipment and studio fa¬
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film producers. Write TELEFILM, Inc., Dept.
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for prices and literature.
OUR SERVICE IS USED BY: J*
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Douglas Aircraft Co. • Food Machinery Corp.
U. S. Naval Photo Services Dept. • Santa Fe Raiiroad J^J
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TELEFILM
HOLLYWOOD
8 Enlarged 1 /L Reduced O
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bperial Motion Picture Printing
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CHICAGO
Simplified Movie Processing
(Continued from Page 58)
however, numerous “sub-standard”
brands on the market which are pur¬
chased without the processing included,
at substantial savings. This doesn’t
mean these films are of an inferior
quality, but simply that the expense of
laboratory handling is eliminated, and
this saving passed on to the customer.
These are the films that may be devel¬
oped at home in your own darkroom,
conveniently, profitably, and satisfactor¬
ily. In this group of easy-to-handle
films also belong the familiar “positive”
type emulsion, frequently used by title
makers, and put out by all the leading
manufacturers, such as Eastman, Ansco,
and DuPont. Of all available varieties,
this is undoubtedly the most economical
of all.
The beginner does well to limit him¬
self to developing shorter lengths of
film, not to exceed about 25 feet at a
time, which may be manipulated with
little trouble on the type rack illus¬
trated. Also, he is advised to restrict
himself to “straight” developing, which
is all that is required in title making,
when the title cards are made in reverse
of the way they are to appear on the
screen, viz black letters on white cards.
The aforementioned positive film is well
suited for this work, since it is extreme¬
ly contrasty.
A glance at the accompanying photo¬
graphs will be sufficient for those accus¬
tomed to darkroom procedure to grasp
the technique of the process. To others,
the following paragraphs may prove of
value.
The film is spooled in the darkroom
onto a rack similar to that pictured,
which is so constructed that individual
film loops cannot overlap, and no por¬
tion of the picture surface itself actual¬
ly touches the rack. The rack is usually
made of aluminum alloy or wood coated
with some sort of preservative, and
should be in such a size as to fit a con¬
ventional developing tray, utilizing a
minimum of solution. A rack to accom¬
modate film in the length mentioned re¬
quires about a gallon of solution.
Ordinary D-72, D-76 or their equiva¬
lent, serves as the developing agent.
For extreme contrast, such as in title
work, D-ll is recommended. After the
(Continued on Next Page)
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FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
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Everything You Need for the
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B&H-THC LENSES
B&H -Taylor-Hobson Cooke
Cine Lenses are designed to serve
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are fully corrected for extended
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for literature.
BELL & HOWELL
COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1848 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Hollywood: 716 N. La Brea Ave.
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London: 13-14 Great Castle St.
American Cinematographer • February, 1946
69
Simplified Movie Processing
(Continued from Preceding Page)
rack is immersed in the tray, the film
is agitated, by rocking, and the rack
turned over in the tray occasionally,
during the process. Development is
carried out to the time specified by the
manufacturer of the chemical.
From the developer, the film is re¬
moved to another tray containing water
or a “short-stop” solution, where it is
rinsed thoroughly before transferring
to a thii’d ti'ay containing the fixing so¬
lution, regular acid hypo and hardener.
In the case of reversal processing, how¬
ever, instead of the film being placed in
the hypo, it must first pass through a
bleach to dissolve the negative image,
after which it is “flashed” to a light
source, exposing the remaining silver
salts, which in tui’n will form the posi¬
tive image, after being redeveloped, to
bring out this heretofore latent picture.
(Bleach may be obtained from Superior
Bulk Film Co., 188 W. Randolph St.,-
Chicago, Ill., and numerous other
sources.)
It was not the writer’s intention to
deal with the complexities of reversal
processing, but rather to keep the de¬
veloping process on a simplified basis.
In either system, however, when fixing
is complete, the film is thoroughly
washed in running water until all traces
of hypo have disappeared, and then
hung up to dry, rack and all. Sponging
off excess water helps prevent spots.
Needless to say, the entire develop¬
ing phase must be handled under a safe-
light suitable for the particular type
film being developed, which ranges from
the comparatively bright orthochro-
matic red to the very faint panchromatic
green.
From camera to screen becomes a
matter of hours, instead of days, when
you try this simplified movie pi'ocessing
in your own dai’kroom.
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COMPDETE FILE OF THE AMERICAN CINE¬
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24 VOLT Lightweight. Commercial Cine Special
Motor, $145.00 complete. 12-24 Volt Eyemo
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They are the finest made. Reynolds 16mm. bench
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motor, manual lightchange, regular $1,550.00,
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16mm. negative $2.10. Reels, Cans, New, Used.
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THREE SPEED EYEMO, Cooke lens, $275.00;
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LENS BARGAINS
1" Eymax fixed focus F :4.5, in Eyemo
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MISCELLANEOUS
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CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
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1021 Seward St.
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Western Electric
RECORDI NG
Through the Editor's Finder
(Continued from Page 50)
volume of negative and positive re¬
quired for the armed forces, and to keep
the film industry adequately supplied.
But now, with the pressure eased
somewhat, those machines in the plants
must be cut off from production in units
for major overhauling and rebuilding.
Naturally such removal of equipment
reflects in lowered factory capacity, and
may temporarily result in film short¬
ages. But it will only take a few months
to overhaul the film manufacturing ma¬
chines to eliminate any chance of pos¬
sible shoi-tages or diminished output in
the future from that cause.
Another important factor, however, is
the loss of workers since the war ended.
Many were women who decided to quit
work in the film factories, requiring the
companies to secure and train replace¬
ments.
BUY mORG BOnDS
70 February, 1946 • American Cinematographer
EASTMAN
Plus-X
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EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
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...ALL-PURPOSE NEGATIVE FILM
The Finest and Most Complete Home Projector
BELL & HOWELL COMPANY [
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Please send ( ) full information on Diplomat \
Projector; catalog of Filmosound Library ( ) »
recreational, ( ) educational films !
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AC 2-46 •
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And remember, the Diplomat is now
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ACADEMY NOMINATIONS
FOR KD)
i n a
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY-
1945
194
k* mm
For fine detail . . . natural flesh tones
USE DU PONT SUPERIOR 2
Du Pont Superior 2 gives you photographic
beauty “in the flesh.”
This quality is inherent in Superior 2. It
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purpose shooting. Use it whenever detail and
photographic quality are of first importance.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (Inc.),
Photo Products Department, Wilmington
98, Delaware.
In New York: Empire State Building
In Hollywood : Smith & Aller, Ltd.
DU PONT MOTION PICTURE FILM
CHECK THESE 8 FEATURES:
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• Excellent flesh tones
• Fine grain
• Speed
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RES. U.S.PAT.OFr.
BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING .
O
(Listen to " Cavalcade of America,” Monday evenings on NBC')
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SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
American Cinematographer • March, 1946
75
CONTENTS
«3
Academy Award Nominations for Best Cinematography of 1945.... 78
Filming Rocket Projectile Tests for the Navy . 80
The Fluid Camera . . By Herb Lightman 82
Positive Vari-Focal View-Finder for Motion Picture Cameras .
. By Frank G. Back 84
Aces of the Camera (Paul Eagler, A.S.C.) . By W. G. C. Bosco 86
Among the Movie Clubs . 92
Titles of Distinction . By James R. Oswald 94
The Dilfusion Disc . By Irving Browning 98
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members . 100
ON THE FRONT COVER is a photograph on the set of Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer’s Technicolor production of “The Yearling,” with Director Clarence
Brown (directly under camera) running through final rehearsal of scene
with Jane Wyman. Director of Photography Charles Rosher, A.S.C., is
seated on right side of the camera blimp.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith. President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Charles Clarke, First Vice-President Joseph Walker, Second Vice-President
Arthur Edeson, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
George Folsey, Sergeant-at-Arms
John Arnold Byron Haskin John Seitz
John Boyle Sol Polito Leon Shamroy
Leo Garmes William Skall
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A. S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff. A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson. A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees. A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
e
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
e
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, 25e ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 35c,
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1945 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, undei
the act of March 3, 1879.
76
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
66
MITCHELL 16
The 16mm camera for the producers of com¬
mercial and educational pictures.
The “MITCHELL 16” was designed to meet
the requirements for a high grade 16mm
camera. Incorporated in this camera are
many of the well known features of the fa¬
mous 35mm Mitchell camera that has been
the standard of the motion picture industry
for 25 years.
Engineered, designed and manufactured in
Hollywood.
MITCHELL CAMERA CORPORATION
665 No. Robertson Boulevard
West Hollywood 46, California
Cable Address “MITCAMCO” Phone BR. 2-3209
EIGHTY-FIVE PER CENT OF ALL MOTION PICTURES SHOWN IN THEATRES
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE PHOTOGRAPHED WITH A MITCHELL CAMERA
ARTHUR MILLER, A.S.C.
"Keys of the Kingdom" — 20th-Fox.
JOHN SEITZ, A.S.C.
"The Lost Weekend" — Paramount.
ACADEMY AWARD
NOMINATIONS FOR
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
OF 1945
HERE they are! The outstanding
achievements in cinematography
on motion picture productions re¬
leased during the year 1945; selected
from the 300 odd feature releases of the
year.
And the productions and individual
accomplishments of the Directors of
Photography responsible, are so desig¬
nated by the outstanding experts in the
field most qualified to make the selec¬
tions — the entire group of Directors of
Photography and members of the Ameri¬
can Society of Cinematographers — the
latter internationally recognized as the
most qualified authorities on the complex
photographic qualities necessary for
designation as outstanding accomplish¬
ments.
Listed herewith are the five black-and-
white and the five color productions re¬
leased during 1945, which are considered
the most outstanding by the men who
photograph virtually all of the feature
products of Hollywood — the Directors of
Photography. The combined decision in
procedure as set up by the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences cannot
be discounted in its importance and inter¬
est for those interested in motion picture
photography.
Noteworthy Recognition
There is neither guesswork nor favorit¬
ism in selection of either the five nomi¬
nated productions and their individual
Directors of Photography in both the
monotone and color fields; nor is there
on the final balloting which selects the
Academy Award winners in both black-
and-white and color photography. Voting
in each case is strictly on the merits of
the productions submitted to the voters,
and their careful analysis of the photo¬
graphic merits of each entry.
Nomination Procedure
As set up by the special Cinemato¬
graphic Award Eligibility Committee of
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences, nomination procedure allows for
no haphazard selections, neither does it
ignore any film production released dur¬
ing the year.
Each Director of Photography has the
opportunity of submitting one black-and-
white production, and/or one color pro¬
duction on which he has received single
ERNEST HALLER, A.S.C.
"Mildred Pierce" — Warner Brothers.
HARRY STRADLING, A.S.C.
"Picture of Dorian Gray" — MGM.
GEORGE BARNES, A.S.C.
"Spellbound" — Selznick.
"The Spanish Main" — RKO.
78
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY OF 1945
BLACK AND WHITE
"Keys of the Kingdom" — 20th Century-Fox — by Arthur Miller, A. S. C.
"The Lost Weekend" — Paramount — by John Seitz, A. S. C.
"Mildred Pierce" — Warner Brothers — by Ernest Haller, A. S. C.
"Picture of Dorian Gray" — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — by Harry Stradling,
A. S. C.
"Spellbound" — Selznick International — by George Barnes, A. S. C.
COLOR
"Anchors Aweigh" — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — by Robert Planck, A. S. C. and
Charles Boyle, A. S. C.
"Leave Her to Heaven" — by 20th Century-Fox — by Leon Shamroy, A. S. C.
"National Velvet" — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — by Len Smith, A. S. C.
"A Song to Remember" — Columbia — by Tony Gaudio, A. S. C.
"The Spanish Main" — RKO — by George Barnes, A. S. C.
or joint screen credit. All such produc¬
tions so submitted are listed on the
nomination ballot, with the Directors of
Photography of the industry then voting
for five pictures in each classification in
order of preference. This cross-section of
expert opinion has been found to be the
best method of determining the five pro¬
ductions of each classification to be pre¬
sented as the top nominations for the
final vote.
But, although the Academy Award can
only go to one of the quintette in each
class, the final result will not — and can¬
not- — detract from the outstanding pho¬
tographic merits of the other four pro¬
ductions and the individual Directors of
Photography concerned.
Veteran Cinematographers
Of the ten cinematographers recog¬
nized for outstanding photography on
productions during 1945 — all of whom by
the way are naturally members of
American Society of Cinematographers —
it might be pointed out that all are vet¬
eran cinematographers with comprehen¬
sive experience on film production- — and
all have been top-ranking artists as
Directors of Photography for 15 or more
years.
Previous Awards Winners
Half of the ten Directors of Photog¬
raphy who have had their productions
nominated for the Academy Oscars on
productions released in 1945 are previ¬
ous Academy Award winners, and two
have made the trip to the Award plat¬
form on two occasions each. Arthur
Miller was the recipient for his excellent
photography of “Song of Bernadette”
and “How Green Was My Valley” — both
20th-Fox releases and both photographed
in black-an-white.
Leon Shamroy, nominated this year for
his color photography on “Leave Her To
Heaven,” tabbed the Oscars for color
photography on two previous occasions
with his “Wilson” last year and “The
Black Swan” several years ago.
Ernest Haller, in the running this year
with the black-and-white photography on
Warners’ “Mildred Pierce,” received the
(Continued on Page 90)
LEON SHAMROY. A.S.C.
"Leave Her to Heaven" — 20th-Fox.
LEN SMITH, A.S.C.
"National Valvet" — MGM.
ROBERT PLANCK, A.S.C.
CHARLES BOYLE, A.S.C.
"Anchors Aweigh” — MGM.
TONY GAUDIO, A.S.C.
"A Song to Remember" — Columbia.
American Cinematographer • March, 1946
79
CINEMATOGRAPHY IN THE WAR
FILMING ROCKET
PROJECTILE TESTS
FOR THE NAVY
With Commander A! L. Gilks, A. S. C.
Photographing rocket projec¬
tiles whizzing through the air at
speeds up to 1,500 feet per second!
Sounds impossible, but nevertheless was
successfully accomplished by a Navy
photographic unit headed by Commander
A. L. Gilks, USNR, and veteran mem¬
ber of the American Society of Cinema¬
tographers.
Motion pictures of the testing and
development of rocket projectiles proved
a most important contribution in speed¬
up of the research and perfection of
such weapons for use in the war. The
rocket program, top secret and top pri¬
ority, was instituted by the Navy De¬
partment in association with the Na¬
tional Development Research Council’s
rocket program at California Institute
of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
To the scientists and others intimate¬
ly concerned with the research and de¬
velopment of ground, amphibious, and
airborne rocket projectiles, the ability
of motion pictures to register the de¬
tails of launching, trajectory, landing
and explosion of a rocket — especially in
view of the terrific speed of such flight
— was not initially realized. But for¬
tunately, Commander Gilks was re¬
quested to make one film dealing with
early tests of barrage rockets launched
from small landing craft. In carrying out
that particular mission, Commander
Gilks was brought into contact with the
scientists and engineers charged with
the development of rocket weapons, who
decided that — in view of the initial film¬
ing results— that motion pictures could
be of inestimable value to the overall
program from many angles.
As a result, on his own initiative and
with the full blessing of the scientists
concerned, Commander Gilks made sev¬
eral short film subjects of other rocket
research projects under way at the time.
These films, which were actually pio¬
neer visual reports on the tests and
developments on rocket weapons, proved
so valuable to the scientists and Naval
strategists, that Admiral Holmes, USN,
naval liason officer, dispatched a request
to General William Donovan, chief of
the Office of Strategic Services, asking
that Commander Gilks be assigned per¬
manently to continue such film work.
At this point, he was placed in charge
of a small — but highly specialized and
capable motion picture unit — of mem¬
bers of which had had wide and exten¬
sive experience in the studios.
Gilks Veteran Cinematographer
Commander Gilks is a veteran among
the Directors of Photography of Holly¬
wood, having been under term contract
to Paramount for a number of years in
addition to handling assignments at
other major studios. With his vast ex¬
perience and background in regulation
production cinematography, he was most
qualified to tackle the problem of get¬
ting the required results for the sci¬
entists and Naval officials on the rocket
projectile program.
Navy veteran of World War I, at
conclusion of which he held the rank
of Lieutenant (jg), Gilks re-joined the
Naval Reserve in 1940. Called to active
duty as a Lieutenant, he was assigned
to photographic duty with the Office of
Strategic Services. Immediately after
Pearl Harbor, he was sent to the Pan¬
ama Canal Zone in charge of a photo¬
graphic unit to make a highly confiden¬
tial motion picture report on that area —
especially the defense setup of that pe¬
riod. The large amount of film shot was
most important to the joint Chiefs of
Staff, who viewed it as a visual report
more detailed and informative than hun¬
dreds of thousands of words. The film,
for which Commander Gilks received
special commendation, was kept as “top
secret” during the entire war, but proved
instrumental in quickly correcting cer¬
tain conditions and situations which
needed remedying in the Canal Zone de¬
fenses. On the Panama Canal assign-
meet, he had under his command a small
CAMERA I
CAMERA 2
CAMERA 3
Illustrating camera setups for photographing several types of rocket projectile tests. Camera I at left — with long focal length lens of two-and-one-half to six inches,
depending on requirements — gets detail of launching takeoff in close-up, and follows projectile through to target area. Camera 2 — set up midway on line of flight —
carries longest focal length lens (four- or six-inch) — catching launching, and providing close-up views in center of flight. Camera 3 also photographs takeoff and tra¬
jectory, providing close-up frames in the target area. Great skill was required by the cameramen to keep the speeding rocket in frame during entire course.
80
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
photographic unit, but which comprised
mainly top-ranking studio cameramen
well-qualified for the work through wide
experience on foreign filmmaking ex¬
peditions and location work.
Pioneering Rocket Photography
Shortly after completing the expedi¬
tion to Panama, Gilks was sent to Holly¬
wood on temporary duty to procure
skilled technical personnel and various
photographic equipment for the O. S. S.
Navy photographic units. It was during
this period that he was requested to do
one film project dealing with the test¬
ing of barrage rocket launchings from
small landing craft.
16mm. Kodachrome Used Exclusively
Commander Gilks, in surveying the
problem of photographing the fast-fly¬
ing rockets, decided that only 16mm.
equipment and kodachrome film would
be suitable. A large number of impor¬
tant factors dictated this decision. First¬
ly, the 35mm. cameras were too cumber¬
some to handle in photographing a
speeding rocket projectile — while the
cameramen became so expert with the
small and lightweight 16mm. cameras
that they seldom missed following the
rocket and keeping it in the frame, de¬
spite the accuracy necessary in follow¬
ing what was little more than a fleeting
speck in the sky.
Under the great pressure of wartime
development, rocket tests were run off
regardless of weather conditions. Color
film was essential, as — with black-and-
white negative to photograph against a
hazy, gray or dirty sky — the color of
smoke emitted, color of the flame, and
the length of time of burning of the
propellant; could not be accurately reg¬
istered on the film. With monotone nega¬
tive in bad weather, the smoke and flame
would register the same as the back¬
ground and make the film useless.
With kodachrome, the scientists doing
the research were able to get data and
information on color of the flame, color
of smoke, length of burning time of
the propellant — not only at the time of
launching and during trajectory — but
the same factors when the target was
hit.
High Speed Cameras
In the exacting photography required
to follow the rockets, normal speed
photography was of no value, especially
when it is realized that only a few sec¬
onds are consumed from the time of
launching a rocket projectile until the
latter hits the target.
Ninety percent of the photographing
on the program was done with high
speed cameras turning up at 64 frames
per second. Standard 16mm. cameras —
EK Cine Special, Bell & Howell, etc. —
were used; and hundreds of thousands
of feet of film were whipped through
with virtually no camera difficulties.
On occasion, cameras rolling up speed
of 128 frames per second were employed,
particularly on ground tests of experi¬
mental firing of the higher-powered
rockets from airplane wings. This film
Commander Al.
detail was particularly desired by the
researching scientists for study of high-
frequency shock waves on the plane
structure.
Pioneering Rocket Weapons
The group of scientists charged with
testing and development of the rocket
weapons started virtually from scratch,
insofar as adapting powders for use as
propellants, where exacting character¬
istics of uniform burning were abso¬
lutely essential. General characteristics
and burning properties of powders were
fairly well defined scientifically, but the
adaptibility for rocket missiles was an
entirely new field. When it is realized
that the propellant powder at takeoff
from the launching device burns within
the space of two seconds, and this par¬
ticular point required minute and care¬
ful study by the researching scientists
L. Gilks, A.S.C.
because of the major importance of the
launching period; the contribution of
high speed color motion pictures can be
appreciated.
Through ability to study and measure
the motion picture frames later, instead
of depending on eyes catching details
of the propellant burning, the scientists
were able to materially increase the per¬
fection of various types of rocket wea¬
pons during progress of the program.
Gyrations of experimental rockets in
flight during testing, as registered on
the film, indicated correction in design.
The research engineers on numerous
occasions, were enabled — through film —
to study the action and characteristics
of the rocket and propellant down to
within 1/ 500th of a second. It might
(Continued on Page 88)
American Cinematographer • March, 1946
81
JPisl JIjuIjcL QamsuxcL
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
BACK in the days when the motion
picture industry was young and
cameras were cranked by hand, the
term fluid camera had not yet been added
to the film-maker’s lexicon. In those days
the camera was clamped in place and, ex¬
cept for an occasional short tilt or pan,
it remained a static observer of the ac¬
tion that took place before it. Camera
movement was all but unknown. Instead,
the action was so directed as to fit within
the bounds of the static frame, and when
the action became too wide for the frame
the director cut to another angle.
Later, when western films of the
“Let’s head ’em off at th’gulch” variety
became popular, the camera was mounted
on a truck and went bouncing over the
landscape recording the chase. This was
the beginning of camera movement as it
has developed in our present-day photo¬
play. But it remained for David Wark
Griffith, pioneer of so many of our mod¬
ern cinema techniques, to introduce cam¬
era movement as a definite dramatic
device in motion picture making.
The film industry has come a long way
since the days of “Birth of a Nation.”
Hollywood cinematographers have devel¬
oped motion picture photography into one
of the highest forms of artistic expres¬
sion. The camera is no longer a static,
inhibited machine. It is now a fluid force
— a device that not only records action,
but by its own movement about the sound
stage, adds dramatic emphasis and
“punch” to the film narrative.
The theory behind the fluid camera is
a simple one. The camera is the “eye”'
of the audience, and the spectator sees
only as much of the action as the camera
sees. But if the spectator were actually
present in the situation depicted upon
the screen, he would not just stand in
one place and restrain his eye from mov¬
ing about in an effort to follow the ac¬
tion. Rather, he would move around —
drawing closer to view this or that bit of
action, drawing back to get a better view
of the overall situation. The camera, as
his cinematic eye, has a right to follow
the same course of movement — drawing
in, pulling back, narrowing down to
some significant segment of the scene.
It is as natural for the camera to move
as it is for a character in the scene to
move about the set.
A sound psychology underlies the use
of the mobile camera. Movement purely
for the sake of movement is an abuse
of an otherwise forceful technique. The
intelligent director or cinematographer
moves the camera only when the de¬
mands of the filmic situation motivate
that movement. Correctly used, the mo¬
bile camera produces a fluid continuity —
a smoothly-flowing interplay of changing Vn
compositions within the individual scene.
These compositions change and vary
from extreme long shots to extreme close-
ups without the harshness of a direct cut.
Thus the audience’s attention is held
without mechanical interruption to the
subject-matter of the scene.
There are several types of camera
movement, and each device has come to
be known by a specific name. The follow
shot is one of the most common tech¬
niques and, as the name implies, it is
used to follow the action of one or more
characters within the scene. Usually this
is accomplished by a simple tilt or pan or
a combination of the two. Frequently,
however, it becomes necessary for the
camera to follow a player over a wide
stretch of terrain. When this is the case,
the camera is mounted on a dolly or
camera boom and we have what is known
(Continued on Page 102)
Getting an overhead closeup. Director of Photography Leon Shamroy, A. S. C., directly behind camera
in dark suit, making final checkup for scene of Betty Grable in "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim," a 2Ctth-
Fox production.
82
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
At Your Service!
the staff of
J. E. Brulatour, INC.
with
EASTMAN
FILMS -
j. E. BRULATOUR, Inc.
• CHICAGO • HOLLYWOOD
NEW YORK
A Positive Vari- Focal View Finder
For Motion Picture Cameras
The author, Frank G. Back, M.E., Sc.D., is associated
with the Research and Development Laboratory,
New York.
Presented at recent Technical Conference of Society
of Motion Picture Engineers, and published in Decem¬
ber, 1945 issue of SMPE Journal. Reprinted by special
permission.
By FRANK 6. BACK
A new positive vari-focal view-finder
for motion picture cameras eliminates
the disadvantages of the two classes of
finders now in use. The new view-finder
uses only positive elements, thereby pro¬
ducing an upright real image. And it is
possible to secure this real image in a
frame of constant size. The image be¬
comes variable over a wide range along
a smooth and continuous curve instead of
by intermittent steps as in the case in
some other types of finders.
The two classes of finders presenfly
used secure images by two different
methods. One limits the fields of dif¬
ferent camera lenses by mechanically
changing the size of the frame which
surrounds the image. The second class
changes the field by optical means.
In the first class, we see that the image
frame gets smaller as the focal length
of the camera objective increases. The
disadvantages of this are apparent.
Those finders of the second class which
change the field optically do one of two
things: they change the frame size, as
in the first class, or they produce only
virtual images which do not frame dis¬
tinctly. Negative-type finders, as de¬
scribed, also have large parallactic error.
This is particularly true when the eye is
displaced. One other type of view-finder
having a turrethead might be mentioned
here. Its evident disadvantage lies in the
limitations placed upon it by the number
of optical elements in its turrethead.
The vari-focal system of the new posi¬
tive view-finder is based, of course, on
the principle of the astronomical tele¬
scope. The finder adds to this principle
certain other features which give it de¬
cided advantages. In the astronomical
telescope, magnification is determined by
the ratio of the focal length of the front
lens combination to the focal length of
the rear-lens combination.
Thus, a long focus front lens combined
with a short focus rear lens gives us
magnification. Fig. 1 (a) illustrates this
clearly. Conversely, a short focus front
lens coupled with a long focus rear lens
brings about reduction, as seen in Fig.
1 (b).
The new positive view-finder uses a
front lens and a rear lens of approxi¬
mately equal focal length. The front and
rear lenses do not move and are known
as “stationary lenses.” The variation is
obtained by two lenses of shorter focal
length mounted in a barrel with the
view-finder housing between the two
stationary lenses. These two shorter
focus or “variator lenses” can be moved
forward and backward from the front
stationary lens to the rear lens. The
movable barrel in which they are
mounted is called the “variator.”
This is how the variator operates: The
stationary, and variator lenses are com¬
puted in such a way that when the vari¬
ator is in the extreme front position, the
combined power of the stationary front
lens and the first variator lens is such
that the inverted real image produced by
them falls on the second variator lens.
Fig. 2 (a) shows this. Thus the second
variator lens acts as a field lens in this
position and does not participate in the
forming of the image. So far, the vari¬
focal system acts as a telescope that has
a short focus objective and a longer focus
rear lens, producing a reduced image
covering a wide-field angle, as with a
wide-angle lens.
(Continued on Page 101)
IMACf
£»ECT0»
*SS£M«iv
E*ONT
LENS /
Vif'l'flNOC*
SETTING
*SSEUSlr
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
84
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Fast! Yes — but delivery guaranteed.
Full fidelity of sound and definition
often exceeding the original.
For superior work — ahead of time —
"Byron-tee" your prints
the most complete 16 MM sound studio in the East
Studio: 1712 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Phone Dupont 1800
Washington 9, D.C.
ACES of the CAMERA
Paul Eagler, A. S. C.
By W. C. C. BOSCO
KISMET, as the sage said, or should
have said even if he didn’t, is a
wonderful thing. Who would have
thought f’rinstance, that because tailors
once used a rubberized adhesive tape to
hold up the cuffs on men’s trousers, that
it would have an influence either directly
or indirectly on the future of the film
industry. And yet, so intricately are the
skeins of fortune woven, that such was
the case.
You see, the subject of our little biog¬
raphy this month, Paul Eagler, A.S.C.,
had a father who was a tailor; and in
the year 1900 he not only gave Paul a
magnificent magic lantern, he also
brought him home the paper strips in
which the above mentioned rubberized
tape came wrapped.
Now the paper from this tape was,
oddly enough, about 35mm. in width and
came wound on spools in lengths of ap¬
proximately 100 feet. And young Paul,
who tired very quickly of the static
quality of his magic lantern pictures,
found out that he could simulate move¬
ment by cutting progressive pictures on
this paper tape and jerking it through
his magic lantern. The results, alas, were
not what you might call completely satis¬
factory, but Paul was very young at the
time, easily pleased, and so ecstatically
happy over the results that it provided
an avenue for his youthful inventiveness
and subsequently influenced his choice of
a career. And so we feel that we have
proven, even though laboriously, the
proposition set forth in the first para¬
graph; because while there may be some
who would be loathe to admit that the
special effects men are the backbone of
the industry, there must be few who will
deny that they form a most important
vertebra. Particularly is this true of men
like Paul Eagler, who, in growing up
with the industry, have contributed so
much to its spectacular technical achieve¬
ments.
Soon after Paul’s original attempt at
movie-making a traveling show came to
the small town of Newman, Illinois,
where he was born and living at the
time. It was typical of the shows that
played to hinterland audiences at the
turn of the century. There were vaude¬
ville acts, song-slides, and during the in¬
termission, real, genuine two-minute
movies.
To Paul the movies were inspirational,
and in his youthful eyes merited all the
superlatives claimed for them in the
lurid advertising. He made up his mind
to find out what was in that portable
asbestos booth. All he could get was a
look, but he decided that the projector
was a magic-lantern with some sort of
hand-cranked clockwork. That was when
the good people of Newman began to hide
their clocks, and Paul’s original magic-
lantern underwent numerous drastic re¬
modellings.
When the traveling show came back to
the Newman Opera House the manager-
ticket taker-projectionist couldn’t get rid
of Paul. So he bowed to the inevitable
and let the young enthusiast crank the
projector.
Thus, at the age of eleven, he made his
debut as a projectionist. He was told
that when he came to the finale, 25 feet
of hand-tinted American flag floating
proudly in the breeze, he must crank
through, then crank it back, and then
crank it back again; making seventy-
five feet of film in all, and assuring a
thunderous applause for the finish. That
this feat could be accomplished seemed
impossible to Paul. But the projectionist
quickly reassured him. “A flag floating
in the breeze,” he said, “is a flag floating
in the breeze. No matter which way you
crank it.” And sure enough, Paul found
that the man was right. It was his first
intimation of what could be perpetrated
on a gullible public with the aid of a
camera and a projector.
By 1905 Paul was a showman in his
own right, with what was perhaps one
of the first store-shows in the State of
Illinois. The occasion was a lusty, 4th of
July celebration which the citizens of
Newman made to last three days; and
the vehicle our youthful impressario used
to gather in the nickels from his fellow
(Continued on Page 104)
86
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
THANKS TO VICTOR’S GREATER FINGER ROOM
Check this Victor Oversize Sprocket.
Note the greater film surface . . . five teeth
engage the film (instead of three as in
ordinary projectors).
Over the sound drum . . . under the large sprocket . . .
into the easily accessible film channel — these are the
simple highlights of threading a Victor. Yes, fingers —
young and old — quickly learn this easy lacing. The
reason is . . . simplicity . . . more finger room.
Such exclusive Victor features as 180 degree Swing-Out
Lens Mount, Duo-Flexo Pawls, Spira-Draft Lamp House,
and Safety Film Trips give greatest protection to valuable
films. Both new and experienced operators prefer this
extra security and trouble-free operation. Yes, your
films are safer — as well as being brilliantly projected —
with a Victor.
so^H0
The
ANIMATOPHONE
I 6mm Sound
Projector
l/IPTDff
New York
M A
Home Office and Factory: Davenport, low a
1
idolph
it
American Cinematographer • March, 1946 87
Filming Rockets
(Continued from Page 81)
be pointed out, in order to provide time
information, the dial of the camera¬
man’s stopwatch was registered at the
end of each high speed shot to provide
the scientists with exact timing when
the film was studied in detail.
Many Rocket Weapons Developed
The scientists and photographic unit
were concerned with many types of
rocket weapons under development for
various uses in offensive campaigns.
Each development followed a set pro¬
cedure and program. Initial test was on
the ground from a stationary launching
site, with missile aimed at target area
1,500 to 2,500 yards distant. Although
the scientists and military observers
were stationed behind concrete shields a
safe distance of one-half mile from the
range, it was necessary for members of
the camera crew to get within 500 yards
— operating in the open with long focal
length lenses of four and six inches.
General procedure was to set one cam¬
eraman directly opposite the launching
site, a second mid-distant between the
launcher and target area, and the third
opposite the intended target area.
With the rocket projectiles travelling
anywhere from 600 to 1,500 feet per sec¬
ond, the cameramen could not use tri¬
pods, but each panned the entire line of
flight with hand-held cameras. The men
became so expert in the work that they
seldom missed following throughout the
trajectory from the time of launching
till target was struck; thereby gaining
invaluable ballistic data.
In the early stages of experiments
with new rockets, higher-powered pro¬
pellant powders, and fuses, both the
scientists and cameramen were placed
in most hazardous and dangerous situ¬
ations. They had to be alert for any¬
thing to happen. Premature detonation
of experimental fuses would shower hot
and jagged fragments of steel in all di¬
rections, and on one occasion, the maga¬
zine was knocked off a camera by flying
steel. Miraculous escapes were the rule
rather than the exception.
Stressing Safety Factors
Safety of the operators of the missile
launchers, either from amphibious craft
or airplanes, was of major importance
in the tests and developments. After the
initial ground tests, a stationary plane
wing was set up with launching bracket
attached. Exhaustive tests were then
made to study — through the films — the
stress and strain of the launching shock
when the rocket was sent on its way.
After insuring stability of the plane
wing, next step was launching from a
regular plane placed on a wooden ramp
with tail lifted into flying position; mo¬
tor turned over at normal speed; with¬
out pilot or mechanic aboard; and rocket
fired via remote control. At this point,
three cameras — turning at normal, 64
pictures per second and 128 pictures
per second — were employed. Resulting
film provided the scientists with details
on the blast effect and shock waves of
the projected rocket on a plane in flight.
Final Tests from Plane
After assurance of the uniformity of
a particular type rocket in performance,
final tests in firing from a plane in
flight were instituted. Cameras photo¬
graphed launchings from an accompany¬
ing plane 10,000 feet in the air — gen¬
erally over a desert range. This pro¬
vided further information for the sci¬
entists before green light was given for
final tests where the rocket-launching
plane flew in at low levels at indicated
ground targets.
Virtually the same procedure was fol¬
lowed in all phases of rocket develop¬
ment, which covered also launchings
from the ground, surface craft, sub¬
marines, etc. Many types were devel¬
oped and designed for special purposes.
Films to Chiefs of Staff
When the specific rocket and launch¬
ing device for either air, ground, or
sea use was felt ready, a concise film
on the type was edited to show perti¬
nent points in the development, han¬
dling, and effectiveness of the final tests.
These films, on account of the urgency
and need of rocket weapons in warfare,
told the entire story with a minimum
of titles. Time was not wasted on re¬
cording a descriptive dialogued sound¬
track, as such a procedure would con¬
sume most valuable time through extra
processing.
Each film, as completed, was sent to
Washington for viewing, and the visual
reports on intimate phases of the ac¬
tion and performance of each particu¬
lar rocket missile vitally speeded up
adoption and utilization in the field.
Prints of each subject were then sent
(as top secret material) to air, ground,
naval and other forces for viewing by
commands to ascertain adaptibility in
their individual campaigns.
From these short and concise films
on each specific rocket development, of¬
ficers and commands charged with mak¬
ing decisions in the field were able to
better evaluate the combat and mili¬
tary value of the weapon depicted than
through the previous procedure of pro¬
viding them with long and lengthy writ¬
ten reports which previously had been
highly technical and consumed much
time of the top command to read and
evaluate. The visual reports were far
easier for military strategists to evalu¬
ate for combat use, with consequential
speedier installation in warfare.
By August, 1944, total of 77 reels on
rocket weapons and projectiles made by
Commander Gilks and his camera unit,
were in the library of National Devel¬
opment Research Council for loans to
Navy, Army, and Marine strategists and
officers. The subjects, in addition, served
as most valuable training and instruc¬
tional films for officers and personnel on
each type of rocket weapon in the early
introduction of the latter on various bat¬
tle fronts before specific training films
of handling and operation could be
turned out. In numerous cases, the test
and development film subjects served
for training and indoctrination of officers
and men of the armed services.
Commendation on Film Project
As the photographic accomplishments
of Commander Gilks and his small but
compact crew progressed on the rocket
program experiments and developments,
the unit received continual commenda¬
tion for its results and the initiative
and inventitiveness in overcoming seem¬
ingly impossible obstacles in achieving
seemingly impossible photography in a
most vital war program.
E. C. Watson, official investigator of
National Development Research Council
at Caltech, completely summarized the
entire film program on rocket projects
with a report to Washington which
stated;
“Such films are of particular value
during the early stages of the develop¬
ment of a new weapon when its tactical
uses and its characteristics are still
being explored, and when no nucleus of
personnel familiar with the weapon is
available.
“The Films are used constantly to
acquaint visiting scientists, and Army
and Navy officers, with the nature of
these new developments. They also re¬
sulted in a great saving of time and
expense to us and to our increasing
number of military visitors, as it was
unnecessary to stage special demonstra¬
tions for them with consequent loss of
time.
“The films are of definite scientific
and technical value, being particularly
useful in study of blast effects on
launchers and of launchers reactions, in
fuse, fragmentation and explosion tests,
and in tests of flash effects.”
Later, Watson advised General Dono¬
van: “filming of field and range tests,
are not only valuable in the research
and development work itself, but of
especial value in bringing about the
acceptance of rockets by the fighting
services, in getting them into combat
use promptly, and in training military
personnel in their use.”
Special commendation in 1945 was
issued by the Chief of Naval Operations
for “the valuable color film made by
the photographic unit under Commander
Gilks.” A State Department representa¬
tive wrote Commander Gilks, “I know
only too well what incredible results you
have obtained in filming rocket pro¬
jectiles.”
Praise for Unit
Commander Gilks, in disclosing the
film activities in the rocket projectile
program during the war, lays particular
stress on the success of the assignment
to the members of his unit. He mentions
the late Jack MacKenzie, jr., chief
photographers’ mate; the late Edwin
Roach, photographers’ mate both of
whom were killed last year in an auto
accident returning from a particularly
dangerous flying mission; and photo¬
grapher, first class, Herb Wolf, who was
injured in the same crash. He also
points out the important contributions
in the project of chief photographer,
(Continued on Page 101)
88 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
"Patent No. 2318910
The friction type head which is unconditionally guar¬
anteed for 5 years, gives super-smooth 360° pan and 80°
tilt action. It is removable, can be easily mounted on
our "Hi-Hat" low-base adaptor or Baby "Professional
Junior" Tripod base. The large pin and trunnion assures
long, dependable service. A "T" level is attached. The
top-plate can be set for 16mm. E. K. Cine Special, with
or without motor; 35mm. DeVry and B & H Eyemo (with
motor), and with or without alignment gauge.
The standard size tripod base is sturdy. "Spread-leg" de¬
sign affords utmost rigidity and quick, positive height
adjustments. Complete tripod weighs 14 lbs. Low height,
at normal leg spread, 42". Extended height 72". All
workmanship and materials are the finest.
mm®®*** ^psasp®®
with Removable Head
Now Available!
Acclaimed the finest for
every picture taking use .
The new "Professional Junior" Baby
Tripod, shown ready for the Removable
head,, weighs lbs., is made of
Aluminum with Dural legs having
spurs. Extended height — 21 inches, de¬
pressed — 16 inches. It's compact and
sturdy. Quality throughout.
Adaptability: here are illustrated ( I ) the friction type removable "Pro¬
fessional Junior" tripod head that may be affixed to (2) the Standard
Tripod Legs Base and (3) the new all-metal "Baby" tripod and (4) the
"Hi-Hat" by simply fastening the finger-grip head fastening nut that is
shown under it. Note the positive-locking, fluted, height-adjustment
knobs and tie-down rings of the Standard Tripod Base which is standing
on a Triangle.
/Voir Available to Camera Owners and Dealers
"Professional Junior"* Tripods, Baby Tripods, Developing Kits, "Hi-Hats"
and Shiftover Alignment Gauges made by Camera Equipment Co. are
used by the U. S. Navy, Army Air Bases, Signal Corps, Office of Strategic
Services and other Government Agencies — also by many leading News¬
reel companies and 16mm. and 35mm. motion picture producers.
FRANK C. ZUCKER
(7flm€Rfl€Quipm€nT(<5.
1600 BROflDUJfly \ n€0J yORKClTy
Solar Aircraft Acquires
Fonda Machinery Co.
Patent and manufacturing rights on
film processing equipment and develop¬
ing machines previously turned out by
Fonda Machinery Co., has been acquired
by Solar Aircraft Company. The latter,
which produced highly-precisioned parts
and accessories for airplanes during the
war, has factory space, skilled machin¬
ists and toolmakers, and necessary ma¬
chinery to greatly increase the output of
Fonda film developing equipment.
Fonda Film Processing Equipment Di¬
vision of Solar Aircraft Company has
been set up, with sales and display head¬
quarters at the former Fonda plant,
8460 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
John F. Van Leuvren, original de¬
signer of Fonda developing machines,
remains with the new company; while
John Tuve continues as production man-
Widely recognized as “the most suc¬
cessful news reel camera”, the Wall
35mm. sound camera, manufactured by
St. George Recording Equipment Corp.
of New York, won new laurels during
the war when eighty of these sound
cameras were constantly in use by the
Army and Navy without a single un¬
satisfactory report. Compact, light in
weight and sturdy, these cameras proved
easy to handle under the most difficult
conditions of desert and jungle fighting
and “stood up” under long, strenuous
service. The Wall sound camera has
been used for Fox Movietone films since
1928. The entire Wall outfit weighs only
37 pounds and is simple to operate. One
man can easily operate both sound re¬
cording and photography. The sound sys¬
tem is battery operated.
The Wall camera can be used for regu¬
lar studio photography, without sound,
when desired. It is free from “blimping”.
Bausch & Lomb Baltar lenses are used.
These have proved superior to any for¬
eign lenses.
St. George Recording Equipment Corp.
announces that it has a limited number
of these Wall 35mm. sound cameras
available for immediate shipment. Each
outfit comprises the following:
Wall camera-single system sound —
complete with Bausch & Lomb Baltar
50mm. f. 2.3 coated lenses, Bausch &
Lomb Baltar 75mm. f. 2.3 coated lens,
Bausch & Lomb Baltar 100mm. f. 2.3
coated lens, Bausch & Lomb Baltar
152mm. f. 2.7 coated lens, modulite gal¬
vanometer, camera case — carrying, cam¬
era accessory carrying case — consisting
of 1 matte box, Bausch & Lomb Baltar
35mm. f. 2.3 coated lens, magazine belt
tightener, six collapsible film spools, four
bakelite film centers, 1000-ft. and one
400-ft. magazine leading hooks, filter
holder container with nine double and
ager of Fonda equipment for Solar.
Clayton Wall, formerly with the Army
Air Forces at Wright Field, is designing
engineer.
William Prager, associated with the
AAF photographic division during the
war, becomes sales manager of the Fon¬
da division of Solar. Prager is widely
known in the film industry.
Acquisition by Solar eliminates the
production bottleneck of Fonda, which
was forced to limit output because of
restricted manufacturing facilities. New
deal provides factors for volume produc¬
tion of the Fonda developing machines
to meet the widespread demand from all
parts of the world. Fonda equipment
allows for processing of both 35 and
16mm. film.
three single filter holders. Oil can, pair
pliers, screwdriver, bottle of camera lu¬
bricating oil — good for 80 below zero;
tripod (pan) handle, crank handle, three
camera belts — small, medium, large, am¬
plifier, amplifier carrying case, amplifier
accessory carrying cases, consisting of
two camera power cables, two 50-ft.
microphone extension cable, two galvan¬
ometer cables, two amplifier power cables,
two sets of earphones, four exciter
lamps, two microphones with cable, goose¬
neck and baffle, two microphone tripods,
camera portable power pack shoulder
carrying strap with six nonspillable stor¬
age batteries and 3-4 volt, 2-6 volt, 1-12
volt outlets, vibrator pack with six non¬
spillable storage batteries, magazine car¬
rying case with two 1000-ft. magazines,
baby tripod with carrying case and hy-
hat, tripod with freehead and boot and
saddle, triangle and magazine carrying
case with four 400-ft. magazines.
Telefilm Constructing
Film Storage Vaults
Telefilm Studios of Hollywood has
under construction a large air-condi¬
tioned, steel-reinforced concrete vault
for film storage. In addition to provid¬
ing space for the increasing number of
16mm. negatives of Telefilm product, the
vaults will be made available for stor¬
age of films for other commercial and
industrial producers in the industry.
“It's All Yours/' by Steiner
William Steiner, A. S. C., recently
completed photography on a ten-minute
short, “It’s All Yours,” at the Willard
Studios in New York. Reel, narrated by
Ralph Bellamy, is designed to promote
extra-curricular reading by high school
students.
Best 1945 Cinematography
(Continued from Page 79)
Academy Award jointly with Ray Renna-
han, A.S.C. previously for “Gone With
the Wind.”
George Barnes, who has nominations in
both classes with Selznick’s “Spellbound”
in the black-and-white, and RKO’s “The
Spanish Main” in color, also previously
won an Academy Award for photographic
direction on “Rebecca.” Tony Gaudio, in
the color nominations this year with
Columbia’s “Song to Remember,” was a
previous Academy Award winner in cine¬
matography for his splendid photo¬
graphic work on Warners’ “Anthony
Adverse.”
Final Selections
Selection of the photographic achieve¬
ment to be designated for the Academy
Award in Cinematography is made
through vote of the Directors of Cinema¬
tography for one of the five nominated
productions in both the black-and-white
and color divisions. The production re¬
ceiving the highest number of votes is
adjudged the winner, with the Director
of Photography individually responsible
for the photography receiving the
Academy Oscar; which is considered the
highest recognition of motion picture
photographic achievement for the year.
Recognition for Special Effects
Although the spotlight is on the direc¬
tors of photography for their motion pic¬
ture cinematography in the Academy
Awards, the recognition of Special
Effects for an Oscar cannot be dis¬
counted. The wizardry of the process and
special effects photographers, who pro¬
vide realistic illusions for the finished
pictures which could be attained through
no other means.
Because of the complexities of analyz¬
ing the final results of special effects
photography, the Academy President ap¬
points a committee of 15 technicians who
are familiar with the intricacies of spe¬
cial effects photography in releases of
the year. Final consideration narrows
down to five productions, with committee
making selection of the recipient of the
Oscar winner from this quintette.
Basic requirements for judging of
Special Effect achievements are:
Dramatic necessity of the effects, pic¬
torial or sound, or both to the picture.
Economic necessity to the picture; it
should be physically or economically im¬
possible to produce the picture without
the effects.
Illusion of actual reality should be ac¬
complished with such skill that the mech¬
anism by which the effect is achieved is
not apparent in the final result.
Echols Resigns From Ansco
G. Harrison Echols has resigned as
general manager of the Ansco division
of General Aniline and Film Corp., posi¬
tion he has held for the past three
years.
Wall Sound Cameras Again Available
90
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
the Singl
and Doubl
Broads, an<
Accessories
Address
Dept. AC
vn''' ' mi
tUc 'Hecv
BARDWELL & McALISTER
BOOM
LIGHT
Specifications:
Height of standard
— Maximum 8'6";
minimum 5'3".
Total reach of boom
' — Standard extended at
45° angle, 1 2'9"fromfloor;
standard retracted, 9'6"
from floor. Standard to
light — 4'3". Horizontal
reach — 6 feet. Maximum
reach of boom when in
balance— extended, 14'3";
retracted, 1 1 feet.
Focusing
— 4° spot to 44° flood.
Lights- Bipostsocketsfor
precision focusing; uses 500
wattT-20 or 750 wattT-24,
C-13 filament medium
bipost globes; available
either in 3200° K for color
photography, or type MR
for black and white.
Wheels
— Heavy 3-inch rubber
tired ball bearing
casters for easy,
noiseless shifting.
The new Bard well and McAlister
BOOM Light is here. This is the latest addition
to the famous B & M line of photographic lighting
equipment _ all made in Hollywood.
This new Boom Light has been designed to eliminate
undesirable features of other types now in use and give
improved performance. As an example, the cross arm may
be tilted to any angle without adjusting the thumbscrew at
the balance point as shown at #2 in the illustration. A thrust
bearing with a fibre friction-disc holds the boom motionless
in any desired position. The standard does not need to be
lowered at any time for this purpose. This feature alone saves
hours of valuable time and countless waste motions.
The legs of the standard (see #3) are so designed that other
equipment may be stacked close to it.
The Baby Keg-Lite with which this boom comes equipped,
is also so bracketted ( # 1 ) that
it maintains a constant angle
of adjustment in all posi¬
tions of the boom up to 45°
from vertical.
This and other features listed
at left, makes the B & M Boom
Light the answer to the de¬
mands of the ace cameramen
of Hollywood and profession¬
al photographers everywhere.
Place your order now
for early delivery.
BARDWELL & McALISTER, Inc.
Designers and Manufacturers
X Box 1310 • Hollywood 28 • California
AMONG the movie clubs
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
Charles Benjamin has been elected
vice president of Brooklyn Amateur Cine
club, and Eugene E. Adams secretary
— both stepping in to fill vacancies
among the officer roster.
Meeting on February 6th at the Hotel
Bossert featured one of the club’s “gad¬
get nights.” Film program included the
first of the Harmon Foundation films,
“How To Make Better Movies.” Show¬
ing was augmented with a discussion
by the technical committee on various
phases of film making.
Eight millimeter division was featured
at meeting on February 20th, with J. F.
Hollywood of New York 8 mm. Club,
presenting the program of color subjects.
La Casa Club
Regular monthly meeting of La Casa
Movie Club of Alhambra, Calif., was
held February 18th in Y. M. C. A. audi¬
torium, with John H. Clay as chairman
of the evening. Interesting film program
included “How to Ski,” by John K.
Northrop, member of the Los Angeles
8mm. Club, and “Western Canada,” a
16mm. subject by C. H. Thomsen. The
16mm. kodachrome documentary, “Eight¬
eenth Century Life in Williamsburg,
Virginia”; presented by Eastman Kodak
Co., was repeated by request of many
members.
New York Eight
Ernie Kremer’s “Southern Exposures,”
and Richard Elms’ “Nantucket Turn¬
about” featured the film program of the
January 21st meeting of New York City
8 mm. Club, held at the Hotel Penn¬
sylvania.
Tri-City Cinema Club
Nearly 100 were present at the Jan¬
uary 18th meeting of Tri-City (Daven¬
port, Rock Island, Moline) Cinema Club,
held in auditorium of Iowa-Illinois Gas
and Electric, Rock Island. After a short
business session, film program included
exhibition of “Flowers” (8mm.), by
Marvin Russell of Rock Island, and
“Autumn and Spring” (16mm.), by Miss
Georgia First of Rock Island. Paul De-
GrafF, Iowa representative for Ansco,
delivered a symposium on movie films,
including “processing of black and white
film — illustrated with slides; and a de¬
scription of Ansco Color, which was ac¬
companied by both a reel of 16mm. and
slides.
February 22nd meeting was held at
the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery,
and film program featured “Iowa
Trails,” by Mr. Lytle.
L. A. Cinema Club
Proposal to change the name of Los
Angeles Cinema Club to Hollywood
Cinema Club consumed major time of
business session of meeting of Feb. 4th
held at the Wilshire Ebell Club. Vote
on the question resulted in a tie, 60 to 60,
of the members present, and it was
then moved that mail ballot of all mem¬
bers in good standing be taken. Dead¬
line for the mail voting has been set for
March 1st, and outcome will be an¬
nounced at the March meeting.
In addition to showings of prize win¬
ning films in the recent club contest,
members viewed series of Kodachrome
slides by Dr. E. Leslie Eames.
Sound Projector Demonstra¬
tions Set by L.A. Cinema Club
During the next several months, the
Los Angeles Cinema Club program com¬
mittee is arranging to have demonstra¬
tions at meetings of the latest models
of the post-war 16mm. sound projectors.
Idea, advanced by Secretary Jack Shand-
ler, and okayed by the board of direc¬
tors, is to invite the manufacturers or
local distributors of the standard and
recognized projectors to demonstrate
their machines at monthly club meet¬
ings; each projector to hold the stage
on a specific meeting night for the run¬
ning off of two to four reels of sound
film.
In this manner, the large number of
members interested in purchasing 16mm.
sound projectors when the latter are
available, will be enabled to obtain a
comparative demonstration of each un¬
der uniform conditions in the same room.
Procedure will also eliminate the loss of
time of members in visiting various
dealer showrooms for individual demon¬
strations.
The idea is one which can be easily
and readily adopted by other amateur
movie clubs throughout the country,
especially in those instances where a
large number of members are interested
in obtaining demonstrations of the new
equipment which will be on the market
shortly whereby advance reservation
orders are not necessary.
The Los Angeles Cinema Club has al¬
ready contacted two distributors of
standard 16mm. sound projectors, and
have received enthusiastic assurances of
cooperation in the plan. It is expected
the others will be lined up within the
next month to participate.
Los Angeles Eight
Los Angeles 8mm. Club held regular
meeting on February 12th in the Bell &
Howell auditorium, with a talk on “The
Technique of Movie Making” headlining
the evening, after which several addi¬
tional entries in the annual contest were
exhibited. Club has sent out a special
questionnaire to all members, asking for
listing of various equipment owned, and
for survey of membership interests in
the monthly programs.
Public Address System
by De Vry
De Vry Corporation of Chicago, has
designed and is currently manufactur¬
ing four position mixer unit public ad¬
dress systems. With four inputs, four
microphones or a record turntable and
three mikes may be used.
Interesting exterior camera setup at Hollywood Park racetrack for scene in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "She
Went to the Races." In stable area, James Craig and Ava Gardnr are ready to make a scene, with
Charles Salerno, Jr., A. S. C.. handling direction of photography.
92 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Three-second loading with interchangeable Kodachrome
or Panchromatic film magazines; //1.9 lens interchange¬
able with six accessory lenses, including a wide-angle
lens and ranging out to a five-times telephoto; enclosed
direct-view finder serves all lenses; four operating speeds
including slow motion; unique footage-indicator control
"doubles" as magazine release when changing films;
pulsing button for gauging scene length; attached Uni¬
versal Guide for all Cine-Kodak Films.
Slip-in interchangeable loading with any of four Cine-
Kodak full-color or black-and-white films; // 1.9 lens in¬
terchangeable with six accessory lenses ranging from
a wide-angle to a six-times telephoto; full-vision eye-level
finder serves all available lenses; three operating speeds,
including slow motion; automatic motor shut-off; pulsing
button for judging scene length; magazine footage indi¬
cator shows unused film whether magazine is in or out
of camera; attached Cine-Kodak Universal Guide.
Roll loading — takes the same famous Cine-Kodak Films
provided for the "Magazine 8," plus low-cost Cine-Kodak
Eight "Pan” Film; has fixed-focus //2.7 lens; secured
winding key; locking position for exposure button so
movie maker can get into the picture; full-vision eye-
level finder combined with carrying handle; automatic
footage indicator; Cine-Kodak Universal Guide serving
all Cine-Kodak Films; combines all practical economy of
equipment and operation with top dependability.
The one "amateur standard" movie camera acclaimed
by engineers, biologists, physicists, doctors, athletic
coaches; makers of industrial, advertising, and training
films — and all other advanced workers in 16mm. movies
— as adequate for the filming problems they must over¬
come and for the professional effects they desire. No first
camera for the newcomer — yet definitely the ultimate
camera for those seeking easy mastery of 16mm. movies
at their very best.
HHHH
—
CINE-KODAK
MAGAZINE 16
CINE-KODAK
MAGAZINE
CINE-KODAK
CINE-KODAK
EIGHT
SPECIAL
Cine-Kodaks and Kodascopes are on the way
ONLY a very few — right now. Then, more and
more in the weeks and months to come . . .
economy "Eights" . . . versatile, easy-to-oper-
ate Magazine Cine-Kodaks — both 8mm. and
16mm. — the most popular movie cameras in
the world, regardless of price . . . and that
finest of all 16mm. cameras, Cine-Kodak
Special. Kodascopes will return by the same
schedule . . . 8mm. silent projectors . . . 16mm.
projectors, both silent and sound.
See your Cine-Kodak dealer — soon — about
your future Cine-Kodak. And while you're
there, stock up on Cine-Kodak Film . . . full-
color Kodachrome or brilliant black-and-
white. He should have all you want — just
in time for your spring movie making
. . . Eastman Kodak Company,
Rochester 4, N. Y.
American Cinematographer * March, 1946 93
TITLES OF DISTINCTION
By JAMES R. OSWALD
TITLE making is fast becoming a
source of enjoyment for the movie
maker that rivals the actual taking
of pictures itself. Discriminating ama¬
teurs, no longer content with the routine
shooting of title cards “straight,” are
constantly alert to new ways of lifting
their titles out of the “ordinary” class.
In this connection, much is to be gained
by watching closely the innumerable,
clever effects of professionally made
movies, next time you visit your local
theater, with an eye towards incorporat¬
ing some of these interesting innovations
to your own movies.
True enough, one can hardly hope to
compete with Hollywood in every re¬
spect, with its endless talent, equipment,
and resources, but it’s surprising what
can be done with limited equipment and
a creative head!
In spite of the many unique tricks that
are used to enhance professionally made
titles, one of the most intriguing, in my
opinion, is the superimposition, wherein
the desired wording appears over an
actual motion picture background. Other
title styles seem to come and go, but the
superimposed version retains its popu¬
larity.
As many are already familiar, this re¬
quires that the film be double exposed.
There are several ways of accomplishing
this feat, professionally, including the
use of the camera, the motion picture
printer, and various applications thereof.
Obviously, the novice has but one alter¬
native.
The usual method for the amateur to
make these superimpositions is by double
exposing the film in the camera. It is
customary to expose the background
scene, after noting the footage guide, and
wind the film back to the starting point
of the scene in the darkroom, and then
expose the title against a jet black back¬
ground. It makes little difference
whether the background scene or the
(Continued on Page 96)
Illustrated at left: (I) Interior of the light box,
showing placing of the lamp socket and lamp. A
Rheostat can control the intensity of the 10 watt
lamp for perfect fades. (2-3-4) Hinges enable the
bo to pivot in any one of three directions — for
swing-in or out titles — merely by inserting the proper
hinge pin, nad removing the two not in use. (5-6)
Side views, showing how the apparatus is used in
conjunction with the regular title making eguipment.
(7) The transparent title card, a film negative, is
"sandwiched" between two pieces of glass; one
preferably an opal glass to diffuse the light. (8)
The glass "sandwich" is then placed in grooves at
the top of the light box, and slid to the bottom,
where it will remain securely in place. (9) Here a
star shaped mask has been cut from black paper,
and mounted on a stiff card, for outline effects.
Masks may be cut in various patterns, and zoomed
towards the camera. (10) Wiping a card across the
title field in various fashions, with the camera run¬
ning, gives wipe effects. Your own imagination is
the limit.
94 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
rfvaitoMe l&i ^Immediate 'DeUvenyf
A Limited Number of
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1 Magazine belt tightener
2 Collapsible film spools
4 Bakelite film centers
I 1000' and I 400’ magazine loading hooks
I Filter holder container with 9 double and 3 single
filter holders
I Oil can
I Pair pliers
I Screwdriver
I Bottle of camera lubricating oil — good for 80 below
zero
3 Camera belts — small, medium, large
I Camera portable power pack shoulder carrying strap
with 6 non-spillable storage batteries and 3 4-volt,
2 6-volt, I 12-volt outlets
SET OF LENSES— Complete . $1,420.00
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 50 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Balter 75 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 100 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 152 mm f 2.7 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 35 mm f 2.3 coated lens
SOUND SYSTEM— Complete . $1,853.00
I Modulite Galvanometer
I Amplifier
1 Amplifier Carrying Case
2 Amglifier Accessory Carrying Cases
2 Camera power cables
2 50' microphone extension cables
2 Galvanometer Cables
L Muipmier tower cables
2 Sets of Earphones
4 Exciter Lamps
2 Microphones with cable, gooseneck and baffle
2 Microphone tripods
I Vibrator Pack with 6 non-spillable storaqe batteries
TRIPOD — Complete . $600.00
I Tripod (pan) handle
I Crank handle
I Baby tripod with carrying case and Hi-Hat
I Tripod with freehead and boot and saddle
I Triangle
I — Magazine carrying case with 2 1000'
magazines . $263.00
I — Magazine carrying case with 4 400'
magazines . $364.00
TOTAL PRICE $9,990.00
Compact — light in weight — easy to handle —
incredibly precise — the WALL 35MM Sound
Camera meets the most exacting requirements
of the professional photographer. Comes com¬
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of these outstanding Sound Cameras. The num¬
ber now available is limited and will go quickly.
WIRE — PHONE — OR WRITE AIR MAIL TO
ST. GEORGE RECORDING EQUIPMENT CORP.
76 Varick St. New York 1 3, N. Y.
American Cinematographer • March, 1946
95
Wiping a card across the title field in various
fashions, with the camera running, gives wipe effects.
Your own imagination is the limit.
Titles of Distinction
(Continued from Page 94)
title is exposed first, but it is customary
to slightly underexpose the picture part,
to make the white letters stand out.
There is one objection to making this
type of title in the manner just de¬
scribed, however, and one which has
caused me to deviate from the customary
practice. It is extremely difficult to light
the title card in such a way that only
the white letters register on the film, giv¬
ing the finished product snappy contrast,
with clear cut letters against a back¬
ground in motion. My determination to
perfect this type of title, which has
always appealed to me was unyielding.
After considerable experimentation,
and many disappointments and failures,
I set out to find a new way to improve
these superimpositions. To this end my
efforts were rewarded when, having
remembered reading of rear-illuminated
titles, I decided to try lighting these
titles from the rear.
Using transparent title cards, made by
photographing the original title card
first with a still camera, to obtain a film
negative, serves a purpose that is two¬
fold: First, it provides the required
opaque background to the white, trans¬
parent letters through which the light
will shine; second, it enables the free
use of black ink in the original design,
which is much easier to work with than
white.
While basically all that is required in
addition to the regular title making
apparatus to make these superimposi¬
tions is a small lamp bulb, a couple
pieces of glass the size of the title field,
and a few short lengths of Scotch tape,
as a matter of convenience I rigged up
the lamphouse part of an old enlarger as
a combination lamp holder and title card
holder, to which the titles are taped.
Although this set-up served the purpose
quite well, I saw further possibilities for
reai’-illuminated titles.
Gradually improving my methods for
making superimpositions, the gadget
illustrated with this article was designed
to give added versatility and ease to the
process. The pictures and captions are
self-explanatory, and require no detailed
comment in order to grasp the steps in¬
volved. Though the outfit was con¬
structed to specifications for use with
my own particular camera and title mak¬
ing apparatus, such an accessory could
easily be adapted to each individual case.
It should be mentioned that a rheostat
can control the intensity of the 10 watt
lamp in the light box, for perfect fades,
while the hinges enable the box to pivot
in any one of three directions, for swing-
in or out titles, merely by inserting the
proper hinge pin, and removing the two
not in use. Similarly, wiping a card
across the title field in various fashions,
with the camera running, gives wipe
effects. Your own imagination is the
limit.
Best of all, these superimposed titles
are possible with the most inexpensive
of home movie cameras. Once you’ve seen
what can be done along these lines with
your owri equipment, you’ll be convinced.
Possibilities depend upon your own skill
and inventiveness. That’s why I say, for
real superb titles, try rear-illumination!
Cinema Club of
San Francisco *
Regular monthly meeting of Cinema
Club of San Francisco was held Feb¬
ruary 19th at Women’s City Club. Viee
President Larry Duggan functioned as
meeting chairman and arranged a varied
film program, including: “Breakfast Is
Ready,” a comedy in kodachrome by
Harry Berman of Westwood Movie Club;
“The Bum,” by Col. M. T. Lewis; “Trip
to the Logging Country.” combination
kodachrome and black-and-white by Ben¬
jamin Nichols; “Ten Pretty Girls,” a
kodachrome from the film library; and
“Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration of
Nurses Training School, St. Helena San¬
atorium,” by Dr. T. J. Lyman.
Leon Gage is arranging a trip to an
exclusive and unusual nursery where
members may try their cameras on the
flowers as subjects. Future meeting pro¬
grams include showings of new equip¬
ment and accessories; demonstrations of
the new Ansco color film, and sound-on-
wire apparatus.
Byron Opens New 16mm. Laboratory
New 16mm. labaratory, complete in
every detail and equipped with the most
modern film processing machines and
equipment, has been opened by Byron,
Inc., in Washington, D. C. Building,
separate from the company’s complete
sound studio for 16mm. production, is
the first in a series of post-war expan¬
sions planned by the Byron organization.
The new facilities, added space and
equipment, will triple the printing
capacity of the Byron laboratory, and
assure continuance of delivery of full-
fidelity black-and-white and color cor¬
rect prints which has been featured by
the firm for several years. And for the
first time, Byron offers clients complete
black-and-white processing through a
continuous-process developing machine.
Layout was carefully planned for max¬
imum efficiency — temperature is con¬
trolled, and all air is filtered to prevent
dust damage. Space has been provided
for several pieces of latest post-war
equipment which is slated for delivery
and installation within the next few
months.
Byron, which provides studio produc¬
tion and sound facilities in addition to
the laboratory, is keeping in step with
the tremendous expansion of the use of
motion pictures in the commercial and
educational fields, and has extensive
plans for future expansion in a long-
range program.
96 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Come on in— the picture’s fine!
WHEN you make movies of the
nicest little girl in all the world
(or any other important subject, for that
matter), you have every right to expect
that the film in your camera will pro¬
duce crisp, bright, lifelike screen images.
And that’s just what you’ll get if you’ve
had the foresight and good judgment to
load your camera with Ansco Hypan
Reversible film. Hypan helps you to get
good pictures — high quality movies
you’ll be proud to show — movies you’ll
never have to apologize for.
You’ll enjoy working with Hypan, too.
It offers an excellent balance between
practical emulsion speed and such other
important photographic qualities as fine
grain size, high resolving power and
smooth, brilliant gradation.
Try Hypan today. And if you’re already
a confirmed Hypan user, why not tell a
friend. He’ll appreciate it! Ansco,
Binghamton, New York. A Division
of General Aniline & Film Corporation.
General Sales Offices, 11 West 42nd
Street, New York 18, N. Y.
- ASK FOR -
Ansco
8mm and 16mm
HYPAN FILM
THE DIFFUSION DISC
There is more behind every motion
picture than the layman can imagine
or detect. In the old days, technical
flaws, jumpy motion, blurred photogra¬
phy, were all taken in the movie fan’s
stride. Just to be able to see a moving
picture was a marvel that far out¬
weighed any criticism of its quality.
Today, however, technical perfection is
a definite requirement, and picking bon¬
ers seems to be the objective of some
movie fans, but that is all to the good,
because it keeps motion picture techni¬
cal staffs toeing the mark.
Since it is the privilege of the movie
fan to seek out our errors and criti¬
cize them, it is for us to recognize and
acknowledge technical methods that have
become obsolete. This article on the
Diffusion Disc lays more stress on its
demerits than on its merits.
I, myself, have used the disc or its
counterpart in the movie camera, still
camera, and enlarger, but now it be¬
longs to a long past era of photography.
Even though it is not as widely used
now as formerly it still appears in close-
6 y IRVING BROWNING
ups so often that it seems like a blur
in contrast to a sharp film. The point
I want to make is, should a diffused se¬
quence be used, regardless of its pur¬
pose, which is detrimental to good eyes
as well as poor eyes? My feeling is
that there is no comparable point be¬
tween its harm to the eyes and the aid
it gives in photographing a difficult
subject.
I know all the arguments for and
against its use. I appreciate how much
artistic effort a cameraman must sacri¬
fice in order to cover up any facial de¬
fects in a close-up which make-up alone
could not accomplish. I appreciate, too,
how important it is for the producer
to present his valuable wares in the
best light to his buying public.
Much of the fault lies with the movie
audiences, who for a long time have put
beauty in first place and performance
second. For the sake of beauty we have
the make-up department on one hand
and photography on the other. When
these two forces cannot accomplish a re¬
sult of beauty by make-up and light,
then the Diffusion Disc is brought into
play. By disturbing the light rays this
blurs up the entire scene to get a dif¬
fused, close-up portrait. Thank goodness
it appears only in close-ups.
Science has made great progress in
developing aids to better vision. The
screen also has developed in that direc¬
tion. The use of a Diffusion Disc is
like removing the glasses from one with
poor vision, and gives a comparable ef¬
fect to those with good vision.
I always consult my dictionary for
exact definitions, and this time Webster
defines “Diffuse” or “Diffusion” as “to
pour in different directions — to spread —
to scatter.” The use of a Diffusing Disc
in front of the lens will scatter the
light rays — spreading them in different
directions or diffusing the view.
In the early 20’s the diffused photo¬
graph and motion picture came into
vogue. The screen, seeking a new ap¬
proach to art, used this method of dif¬
fusion for artistic effect. The Diffusion
Examples of diffusion disc technique popular on film productions in the early '20's. Left, Buster Keaton in "The General"; right, Adolphe Menjou in "Woman
of Paris."
98
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Another example of the diffusion disc. John Barrymore in a starring production.
Disc imitated the art of painting, and
at that time any imitation of an art
was better than no art at all.
Edward J. Steichen, the dean of
American still photographers, once told
me a humorous story in connection with
his first experience with diffused (“soft
focus,” as it was also called) pho¬
tography.
“Many years ago,” he said, “I was on
a photographic assignment, making a
series of exteriors for a national maga¬
zine. In the midst of this it began to
rain, and I hurriedly completed the
scheduled photographs so that I could
finish my assignment. On my return
home I developed the films and found
that the last negatives I had made dur¬
ing the rain were not sharp, but soft —
as if my negatives were out of focus.
The lens had become moist from the
rain and the result was a “blurred”
effect.
“Because I did not relish the idea of
going back to do those negatives over
again, I printed and delivered them,
together with the others, and made no
mention or excuse for the “blurred”
pictures. I only hoped they would be
accepted without comment.
“Some time later the art director of
the same periodical telephoned me and
I was offered another assignment. I
went to his office to receive instructions,
and after arrangements were made my
client concluded enthusiastically: ‘ . . .
and please — give us that fine art effect
which you had in some of the photo¬
graphs on your last assignment.’ With
this I left, wondering what to do about
the ‘fine art effect’!”
When Steichen got on the job, how¬
ever, he conformed to the usual proce¬
dure. He set up his camera, adjusted
the lens, shutter, holder; everything was
ready. Then, at the last minute, as he
put it, he “Spit on the lens.” The shut¬
ter clicked and, hocuspocus, out comes
soft focus pictures — the art of Steich-
en’s photographic masterpieces repro¬
duced again !
Karl Struss many years ago designed
the Struss Pictorial lens, a soft focus
concoction which he sold by the hundreds
for still photography. Later he designed
such a lens for movies.
Before the use of the Diffusion Disc
many cameramen used crepe-de-chine —
that transparent black silk cloth right¬
fully used for milady’s clothes. When
it was used in front of the lens one
thickness made slight diffusion, and
double thickness made heavy diffusion;
a small hole burned in the center of
the cloth left the center sharp, while
the rest of the picture was diffused. As
the demand for clear, sharp pictures
made itself felt, diffusion gradually dis¬
appeared. Now lenses are coated in
order to throw off any scattering of
light which tends both to diffuse and
over-expose highlights.
Diffusion is as hard on the eyes as
is out-of-focus film. Many people wear
glasses to correct indistinct vision, but
the diffused picture again makes the
image indistinct to them as well as to
the person with good vision.
Do not confuse my disapproval of
diffusion in the close-up as compared to
fog scenes, mist, night effects or se¬
quences which may be photographed with
a disc or made soft through low key
lighting. I am concerned with the dif¬
fused scenes which appear like this :
Long shot of a room — three people
standing, talking. Semi-close-up : same
scene. Close-up : over shoulder of male
to female — Diffusion Disc used. Close-
up of male over female shoulder — scene
is sharply photographed. Semi-close-up
of male and female — slightly diffused.
Close-up of female — heavily diffused.
Close-up of male— very sharp. Semi¬
close-up of male and female — slightly
diffused. Close-up of female — heavily
diffused, and so on and so on.
Such procedure is hard on the eyes;
the effect is like removing glasses from
eyes that need them and then replacing
them at intervals and continuing the
procedure for some time. This is an¬
noying and disconcerting and is the ef¬
fect which the diffusion creates when
used as illustrated above.
In Lewis Jacob’s book, “Rise of the
American Film,” he speaks of diffused
photography as highly flattering to wom¬
en because it softens features and elimi¬
nates signs of age. This may be true
but it is also true that it is a sacrifice
of good photography and detrimental to
the eyes.
Recently I was engaged in the pro¬
duction of a film on the rehabilitation
of the blind called, “Sight Unseen.” This
film, as many others I have made on
the preservation of eyesight, has made
me sight conscious, and that has been
my reason for bringing the subject of
diffusion to the fore. I feel quite sure
that if the diffusion sequences which I
see from time to time were incorporated
into one reel and shown to eye special¬
ists, they would agree that it is as detri¬
mental to the eyes as poor light and
other harmful factors.
In the cameraman’s art nothing com¬
pares to a good sharp picture, which
is a blessing to the eyes as well as an
artistic achievement. With the aid of
science we eliminated the projector
flicker, we improved our lighting equip¬
ment, we developed pancromatic films,
the finest coated lenses, the best camera
equipment, and excellent color processes.
With all these advantages and legiti¬
mate elements we should leave the stage
of imitation to the past, where it be¬
longs.
What do yuh say, Bud? Wanna buy
a Diffusion Disc?
Boom Forecast in
Industrial Films
American industries, especially those
manufacturing and marketing heavy
machinery, are setting up substantial
appropriations this year for the produc¬
tion and distribution of 16mm. films to
advertise and promote their products
abroad. This information is disclosed by
Joseph A. Thomas, president of Tele¬
film Studios of Hollywood. Among com¬
panies employing 16mm. films for pro¬
motion of heavy machinery are: Cincin¬
nati Milling Machine Co., Jones & Lam-
son of Springfield, Vt., Allis-Chalmers
of Milwaukee, and Caterpillar Tractor
Co., Thomas stated.
American Cinematographer • March, 1946
99
Monument Valley District in
Two Filmosound Releases
The Monument Valley area is featured
in two latest releases of Bell & Howell’s
Filmosound library. Both are in 16 mm.
kodachrome. Lt. Jack Breed produced
the color-sound one reeler, “Navajo
Sand Painting;” while Joe Ott produced
“American Antiquities.” Latter begins
at Mesa Verde, and then swings through
the Navajo National Monument, Monu¬
ment Valley, Rainbow Bridge, and other
sections of the district.
1 6mm
and
35mm
SERVICES
To
Film Producers
Quality backed by 40
fears in the cinema labo-
ratory and equipment
field.
▼
* Kodachrome Reproduc¬
tions
* Blowups and Reductions!
* Black and White Films
* Slide Films
* Titles
* Sound Recording
* Cutting Facilities
* Portable Sound Unit
* Vault Storage Service
* Projection Service
Both 16mm. and 35mm.
All in One Package
▼
HOLLYWOOD
COLORF1LM
CORPORATION
230 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, Cal.
Phone CH 8-5554
Current Assignments
As this issue of American Cinema¬
tographer goes to press, A. S. C. Direct¬
ors of Photography are assigned to the
following feature productions currently
shooting in the various Hollywood stu¬
dios:
Columbia Studios
Joseph Walker, “The A1 Jolson story”
(Technicolor).
Henry Freulich, “The Devil’s Mask,”
with Anita Louise and Jim Bannon.
Phil Tannura, “One Life Too Many,”
with Leslie Brooks, George Macready
and Forrest Tucker.
International Pictures
Milton Krasner, “The Dark Mirror,”
starring Olivia de Havilland, Lew Ayres,
Thomas Mitchell.
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer
Charles Rosher, “Fiesta,” (Techni-
Filmo Diplomat Again
Available
Distribution to photographic dealers
of Bell & Howell’s postwar movie equip¬
ment is progressing smoothly. One of the
first items to appear on dealers shelves
is the Filmo Diplomat, 16mm. silent mo¬
tion picture projector.
Designed for the home movie maker,
the Diplomat possesses many exclusive
Bell & Howell features. These improve¬
ments are claimed to add a professional
quality to home movie projection.
A new cooling system permits the use
of a 100-watt lamp in addition to the
standard 500- and 750-watt lamps used
previously. The 1000-watt lamp is pri¬
marily intended for showing movies in
halls, clubs, etc. All lamps are pre¬
aligned and pre-focused to obtain max¬
imum efficiency of each lamp.
Every moving part is gear driven,
even to the feed and take-up spindles.
There are no chains or belts, inside or
outside. Gears are fully encased and
silent.
The Diplomat is constructed to show
not only silent film, but sound film as
well. Although the sound is not heard,
many fine motion pictures formerly re¬
stricted to sound-on-film projectors may
now be shown on this machine.
Still projection of any single picture
is accomplished simply by disengaging
the cluth. A perforated, all-metal safety
shutter operates automatically to protect
the film from heat. A reverse lever is
provided for running the film backwards
to achieve amusing effects or to repeat
a scene.
A Bell & Howell 2-inch F 1.6 lens,
which transmits a large volume of light,
is standard equipment. However, it may
be replaced instantly with any one of a
full range of extra lenses to meet spe¬
cial requirements.
Self-lock sprockets, a patented device,
make incorrect film threading an im¬
possibility. They also materially lengthen
the life of the film by exerting less
strain and pull.
of A. S. C. Members
color) with Esther Williams and John
Carroll.
Harry Stradling, “Till the Clouds Roll
By,” (Technicolor) with Judy Garland,
Robert Walker, Frank Sinatra.
Karl Freund, “You Were There,” star¬
ring Katharine Hepburn and Robert
Taylor.
Robert Planck, “The Show-Off,” with
Red Skelton, Marian Maxwell, Marjorie
Main.
Charles Schoenbaum, second unit,
“Gentleman’s Gentleman,” (Technicolor).
Paramount
Russell Metty, “The Perfect Mar¬
riage,” (Hal Wallis Prod.) with Loretta
Young, David Niven, Nona Griffith, Vir¬
ginia Field.
Lionel Lindon, “0. S. S.,” with Alan
Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Patric
Knowles.
Ben Kline, “Danger Street,” (Pine-
Thomas Prods.) with Jane Withers,
Robert Lowery, Bill Edwards.
Daniel Fapp, “Suddenly It’s Spring,”
starring Fred MacMurray and Paulette
Goddard.
Ray Rennahan, “Perils of Pauline,”
(Technicolor) starring Betty Hutton
with John Lund, William Demarest, Billy
De Wolfe, Constance Collier.
PRC
Jack Greenhalgh, “Avalanche,” (Im¬
perial Films) with Bruce Cabot and
Roscoe Karns.
RKO Studios
Leo Tover, “Desirable Woman,” with
Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan, Charles
Bickford, Virginia Huston.
Roy Hunt, “A Likely Story,” with Bill
Williams, Barbara Hale.
George Barnes, “Sinbad the Sailor,”
(Technicolor), with Douglas Fairbanks,
Jr., Maureen O’Hara, Walter Slezak.
Jack McKenzie, “Child of Divorce,”
with Sharyn Moffett, Regis Toomey,
Madge Meredith, Walter Reed.
Republic Studios
John Alton, “The Ghost Goes Wild,”
with James Ellison, Anne Gwynne, Ruth
Donnelly, Edward Everett Horton.
Henry Sharp, “The Fabulous Suz¬
anne,” (Steve Sekely Prod.) with Bar¬
bara Britton, Rudy Vallee, Bill Henry,
Otto Kruger, Veda Ann Borg.
20th Century-Fox
Ernest Palmer, “Three Little Girls in
Blue,” (Technicolor) with June Haver,
Vivian Blaine, George Montgomery,
Frank Latimore.
Charles Clarke, “Margie,” (Techni¬
color), with Jeanne Crain, Alan Young,
Glenn Langan, Lynn Bari, Hatty Mc¬
Daniel, Esther Dale.
Joseph LeShelle, “Claudia and David,”
with Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young,
John Sutton, Rose Hobart, Gail Patrick,
Harry Davenport.
(Continued on Page 106)
100
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Positive View Finder
For Cameras
(Continued from Page 84)
Magnification is produced as the vari¬
ator barrel is moved toward the rear
stationary lens. What happens here, of
course, is that the combined focal length
of the front stationary lens and the front
variator lens increase because the spac¬
ing between these two lenses becomes
wider. Simultaneously the rear variator
lens begins to combine its power with
that of the rear stationary lens. Fig.
2 (b) shows what takes place here. By
moving the variator barrel, the focal
length of the combined front stationary
lens and front variator lens becomes
longer, while the focal length of the com¬
bined rear variator lens and rear sta¬
tionary lens shortens as the spacing be¬
tween them decreases. Thus, the change
from a reduced image to an enlarged
one occurs when the combined focal
length of the front optical elements
become greater than the combined focal
length of the rear elements.
The largest magnification is produced
by the vari-focal system when, in the
extreme rear position, the image formed
by the front stationary lens falls into
the front variator lens. In this position
the vari-focal system covers only a small
field angle and therefore corresponds to
a telephoto lens. (See Fig. 2 (c).)
Two serious disadvantages to the vari¬
focal system as a complete view-finder
when used alone have been overcome in
the new positive view-finder. It has been
noted, of course, that the objective lens
combination produces an inverted image,
an objectionable feature in a view-finder.
A more serious defect of the “variator”
system lies in the fact that the image
moves in opposite direction to the move¬
ment of the “variator” barrel from the
inside of the rear “variator lens” to the
inside of the front “variator” lens. So
in spite of being a real image, it cannot
be framed.
Combined with the vari-focal system to
overcome these disadvantages is an erec¬
tor system. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic
representation of the view-finder. The
dotted line separates the vari-focal mech¬
anism from the erector system. This
erector system acts practically as a sec¬
ond telescope which collimates the image
through the combination of the variator
and the stationary lens.
This new image is not only upright as
the name erector system implies, but it
remains practically stationary within the
erector system, because the optical ele¬
ments of this second telescope do not
change. Therefore, a frame can be placed
at the image point which corresponds to
the size of the film frame and which
shows accurately the image which will
be produced by the corresponding camera
lens.
A cross section through the actual
view-finder, illustrated in Fig. 4, shows
how the optical elements are arranged.
Filming Rockets
(Continued from Page 88)
Allen Thompson, A. S. C., who was
originally with the unit and transferred
after two years of service and chief
photographers’ mate Harold Filan.
Results accomplished, Commander
Gilks discloses, were only possible
through efficiency, skill, and daring of
these and other members of his unit —
always working under the most hazar¬
dous conditions.
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excellent outfit; other Eyemos, De Vry,
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Cable Address: Cameramart
Address Communications to
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E. M. BERNDT CORP.
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MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON-FILM
RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931
The Compete 8mm
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When you edit your 8mm films
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have the convenience of a magni¬
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of a single frame . . . cast onto a
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American Cinematographer • March, 1946
101
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AC-3
The Fluid Camera
(Continued from Page 82)
as a trucking shot in which the camera
actually follows right along with the sub¬
ject in his course of action.
In this type of shot the camera’s mo¬
tivation for movement is usually pretty
well established, since it depends upon
'yand is keyed to the movement of one of
the players. The effect to be desired, as
in all types of camera movement, is
smoothness — since a jerky pattern of
movement would detract more from the
scene than it would add. If the camera
glides smoothly along, the audience will
not be consciously aware of the move¬
ment in itself.
Another type of moving camera shot
is the pull-back, in which the scene opens
with a close-up, the camera later pulling
. back to present a much wider angle of
the scene. This device is used where it is
first necessary to focus the audience’s at¬
tention on a certain small detail of the
scene, later broadening the angle to show
the context in which that detail is
mounted.
In the film, “The Lost Weekend,” pho¬
tographed with superb realism by John
Seitz, A.S.C., there wa sone memorable
scene of this type that opened with a
striking super close-up of the main char¬
acter’s eye as it fluttered open, bloodshot
and bleary, the eye of a drunkard. The
camera then pulled back to a medium
long shot of the character as he awak¬
ened from his stupor and began to stum¬
ble about the room. In this shot, the
close-up of the eye was the keynote of
the scene. It set the psychological mood;
it focussed the audience’s attention by
filling the screen with a small but vital
detail of the character’s state of being.
The initial impression created by that
close-up carried over to the remainder of
the scene and influenced the audience’s
reception of what followed.
A corollary to this type of shot is a
device in which the camera first shows
a long shot of the scene and then pushes
in to a close shot of a certain segment
of the action. This is a widely used type
of camera movement and has the effect of
first orienting the audience as to locale,
action, and period, before moving in to
treat dramatically a smaller part of the
overall scene.
A variation of this technique is the
zoom shot, in which for dramatic effect
the camera first shows a relatively wide
angle of the scene, then rapidly pushes
or zooms in to a close-up of a specific
detail of the scene. The zoom shot, when
correctly used, is a dynamic way to focus
audience attention on a dramatically im¬
portant facet of the scene.
Except in a travelogue, it is not con¬
sidered effective technique to pan a static
object — although many film-makers have
done so in an effort to force action into
an otherwise dead scene. At best this is a
forced technique and should be avoided
except where inserted for special effect.
Mere movement of the camera can never
compensate for a lack of action within
the scene.
Occasionally in a photoplay, the cam¬
era — in its role of all-seeing eye — be¬
comes a wandering reporter, browsing
here and there to pick up bits of action
and characterization, then moving on to
select other facets of the situation, the
sum total of which adds up to the crea¬
tion of considerable atmosphere. A nota¬
ble example of this technique was used
in the film, “Casablanca,” photographed
by Arthur Edeson, A.S.C. In the sequence
establishing the interior of “Rick’s Cafe
Americain” (main locale of the story),
the camera picked its way through the
crowds, stopping at various tables just
long enough to pick up scraps of color
and atmosphere, then moving on. It
moved exactly as a casual observer might
move if he were threading his way
through the maze of tables, catching a
glimpse of this person or that and over¬
hearing an occasional shred of conversa¬
tion. The effect in the film was to set the
unusual mood of this exotic locale, to
identify the types and characters in¬
volved in the story, and to prepare the
audience for the action that was to
follow.
In studio parlance, whenever the cam¬
era moves and comes to rest on a new
composition, the maneuver is known as a
camera stop. Certain scenes, especially in
musical extravaganzas, involve a great
many camera stops. In fact, when this
type of film was first becoming popular
certain directors and cameramen (as a
matter of professional achievement) used
to vie with one another to see how many
camera stops they could get into one con¬
tinuous scene. Actually, if well done, this
type of scene is more effective than a
series of cuts in portraying a musical
number, but when camera movement be¬
comes an end in itself, the result is bound
to be clumsy and without meaning.
One otherwise competent director of
musicals and light comedies used to in¬
sist that the camera be moving in every
scene. He would have the camera push¬
ing in, pulling back, zooming down from
the sky or up from the ground, whether
the scene required camera movement or
not. In one film this particular director
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March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
shot — a film containing well over 300
scenes — there was only one scene that
was absolutely a static shot. Audiences
left the theatre after viewing this film
complaining of headaches from being
“whirled around so much.”
At the other extreme was an equally
competent director of dramatic themes
who insisted that the camera should
never be moved. His compositions on
the screen were particularly forceful and
artistic, but he was reluctant to move
the camera for fear his careful compo¬
sition would be destroyed. As a result,
his action within the frame was stilted,
inhibited, held back. You could almost
sense his players watching for the chalk
marks on the set floor so that they would
not step outside the bounds of the static
frame. In one drama that this director
shot — a film crammed full of artistic and
static compositions — there was only one
short follow shot. The result on the
screen was a static drama.
Obviously, intelligent camera move¬
ment is the result of close, careful pre¬
planning between the director and cam¬
eraman. The director, in his interpreta¬
tion of the author’s screenplay, plans
his action and consults with the cine¬
matographer as to how that action can
most effectively be portrayed on the
screen. Often it is found that a series
of consecutive compositions can be em¬
bodied in one scene and connected by
well-motivated camera movement. The
resulting scene (which otherwise would
have been staged as a series of short
choppy scenes) becomes a fluid continu¬
ity of changing compositions that move
smoothly, one into the other.
Arthur Miller, A.S.C., who has photo¬
graphed such cinematic masterpieces as:
“How Green Was My Valley” and “Song
of Bernadette,” is a cinematographer
who uses the fluid camera to best ad¬
vantage. His camera, never self-conscious,
glides in and out of the scene searching
and selecting those elements which are
important to the film narrative.
Joseph Ruttenberg, A.S.C., has demon¬
strated in films such as: “Gaslight” and
“ Valley of Decision,” that a smoothly
moving camera is a forceful complement
to well-staged action. Coupled with a
mellow lighting style, his fluid technique
of camera movement — always original,
but never obtrusive — gives depth and
perspective to the action as designed by
the director.
Joseph LaShelle, A.S.C., winner of last
year’s Academy award in black and
white cinematography for his crisp,
forceful lensing of the film, “Laura,” is a
cinematographer who excells in the in¬
telligent application of fluid camera
movement to action on the screen. He
has a particular genius for breaking a
scene down into various forceful compo¬
sitions and joining these different “points
of view” together through smooth cam¬
era movement. Some of the things his
camera does seem incredible when ana¬
lyzed, but on the screen a close-up gives
way to a long shot which then evolves
into a follow shot, without the audience
being aware of the actual camera move¬
ment. Mr. LaShelle combines his incisive
understanding of the fluid camera with
a graphic, forceful style of lighting
which is at the same time artistic and
dynamic, as evidenced in such films as:
“Hangover Square” and “Fallen Angel.”
The fluid camera is a device that be¬
longs peculiarly to the photoplay. It has
the quality of action that is essential if
motion pictures are to be truly “moving”
pictures. Skillfully used, camera move¬
ment gives the motion picture unlimited
scope to select and present on the screen
the various elements of the story in dra¬
matic and forceful relationship to one
another.
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American Cinematographer • March, 1946
103
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 86)
townsmen was a series of stereopticon
slides showing the devastation that fol¬
lowed the earthquake and fire that had
ripped San Francisco in the preceding
April. It was a successful venture, fi¬
nancially speaking, but Paul felt a cer¬
tain chagrin in the fact that his pictures
still failed to move.
Then he heard that in the neighboring
town of Tuscola there was a “black-top”
showing the most astounding motion pic¬
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ture of all time, “The Great Train Rob¬
bery”; 1000 feet of action packed drama.
Paul had to see it. And having seen it
he had to see the manager who, probably
to save himself a lot of trouble, gave
him the job of projectionist.
When the family moved to California
later that year Paul was supposed to con¬
tinue his studies at U.S.C., but so badly
had he been bitten by the movie bug
that, to keep peace in the family, his
father bought a movie house in Sawtelle
so that Paul could be a projectionist.
That should have taken care of every¬
thing, but it didn’t. Paul decided that he
not only wanted to show motion pictures,
he wanted to make them.
The first thing he needed, obviously,
was a motion-picture camera. So he de¬
cided to make one. He was handicapped
by the fact that he had never seen a
motion picture camera, but armed with
an Eberhardt-Schneider catalogue and
the innards of an old Melies projector
he set to work. Slowly, very slowly and
painstakingly the pieces were fitted into
place and enclosed in a plywood box of
enormous dimensions. On the front was
mounted an old Darbot f. 4.5 lens from
a still camera, and, because he still had
vivid memories of “The Great Train Rob¬
bery”, and “The Counterfeiters”, and
believed that films were all made on the
same piece of film and in sequence, there
was another box on top to hold a
thousand feet of film.
It was a crude and unwieldy affair,
but it worked. With it he shot news sub¬
jects which were sold to the old Gaumont
News. The fire at Venice Pier constituted
his first sale, but the check that came in
payment for the footage was only a
symbol; the satisfaction was in the real¬
ization of an ambition.
Then in 1912, Paul became a charter
member, number 36, of Local 150, Los
Angeles. He worked as projectionist at
the Edison; the Clune, at 5th and Main
Streets, and was also the instructor at
Clune’s school of projection which that
early day showman had on the second
floor of his exchange at 9th and Main.
Paul was well established in his pro¬
fession. Everything looked rosy. And
then his financed, the girl he subsequent¬
ly married, moved with her family to
San Diego.
To those who have been in love it will
be no news that Paul went to San Diego.
While he was wandering around down
there he found a movie house that had
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been closed. Inquiry disclosed the fact
that it was in the hands of the bank, and
so Paul went to see that institution. He
told the banker that he was a projec¬
tionist and that he was sure he would be
able to make a go of the house if only
they would let him open it. The banker
thought it was a good idea, too, and told
Paul that he could have the place for a
rental of $50.00 a month. And Paul
agreed that would be a very reasonable
rental. The only trouble was he had
50 cents, not 50 dollars. And then there
was another matter, the banker ex¬
plained; there was no projector. That
did complicate matters. But only for a
moment. Paul had made up his mind.
He told the man he was sure he could
get a projector from T. L. Tally the big
theater owner in Los Angeles; and the
man was apparently so encouraged by
such zeal that he agreed, if Paul could
get a projector, to let him have the first
month’s rent on the cuff.
Financed by a five-dollar bill bor¬
rowed from his future mother-in-law
Paul returned to Los Angeles. Mr. Tally
came through with the projector and even
allowed Paul credit on his first week’s
film rental. Everything had worked out
perfectly. Until they went to plug in the
projector. There was no juice.
The banker was sympathetic when
Paul explained his new difficulty, but he
insisted that he had made it perfectly
clear that there was no electricity hooked
up. “But we can’t quit now,” Paul pro¬
tested. “I guess you’re right,” agreed
the banker. “I’ll put up the money for
the installation out of my own pocket.”
The theater was a great success, and
soon became one of three that Paul
owned and operated in San Diego. One
of these three houses he equipped for
sound in 1913, using the Edison Camera¬
phone system. In the other two houses he
had sound-effects men, working with
paraphenalia similar to that used by
sound-effects men in radio today, con¬
cealed behind the screen.
It is interesting to recall that the
Edison Cameraphone Sound System con¬
sisted of two cylinder phonographs that
played behind the screen. In order to
maintain some degree of synchronization
it was necessary for the projectionist to
crank faster or slower as the occasion
demanded. Each record ran for a quarter
of a reel at which point the phonograph
operator would have to switch to the
other machine. The subjects made with
sound were mostly scenes from vaude¬
ville acts.
During this period Paul built a studio
out in the Mission Hills district of San
Diego; and with a Pathe camera, and
later with a Gaumont ‘beater type’ cam¬
era, made comedies. His cast was com-
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104 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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posed of the members of a stock com¬
pany playing at the Savoy Theatre at
the time, and his developing was done
by one Roy Jones who had the local
Kodak finishing lab. Paul made the
prints in his camera.
When Paul returned to Hollywood in
1915 it was to work for Thomas H.
Ince, in the studios located at what was
then Inceville; a site now marked by
the junction of Sunset Blvd. and Roose¬
velt Highway. When Irvin V. Willat,
who was in charge of the camera de¬
partment for Ince, interviewed him, Paul
pleaded complete ignorance of motion
picture cameras for fear that Willat
would give him as his first assignment
something too tough for him to handle.
So he landed in the title department. But
not for long. Willat discovered that Paul
knew more than he had professed and
moved him into the trick department
where he taught him the tricks that are
the basis of the special effects work he
does today.
There were hardy pioneers among
Paul’s associates at Inceville. Bobby
Newhart, Clyde De Vinna, Chet Lyons,
Chic MacGill and Dev Jennings were
among those who trained their cameras
on such stars as Dorothy Dalton, Enid
Bennett, Bessie Barriscale, Howard Hick¬
man, Bill Hart and Charles Ray, who
were directed by such men as Scott
Sydney, Raymond West and Dick Stan¬
ton. A distinguished company that blazed
a clear trail; fast company for a neo-
phite cameraman.
In the trick department, working with
an artist by the name of Irving Martin,
Paul made what may have been the first
matte shot ever used in production. It
was used in a picture entitled “Peggy”,
starring Billie Burke.
Then he was given the job of produc¬
tion cameraman on ifThe Pinch Hitter”,
Charles Ray’s first starring vehicle and
Victor Schertizinger’s first directorial
assignment. The trio were a success, and
Paul remained as Charles Ray’s camera¬
man through his next seven pictures
which included “The Egg-Crate Wallop”,
the picture that made Ray famous.
Paul remained with Ince for nearly
ten years, moving with that company
from Inceville to what is now M.G.M.
in Culver City, then to the old Biograph
lot at Georgia and Girard Streets — a
place that is now a street-car barn —
then back to Culver City to what is now
the R.K.O.-Pathe lot. It was on the last
(Continued on Next Page)
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American Cinematographer • March, 1946
105
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Preceding Page)
named that he was put in charge of the
camera and the trick department. And
there he developed the first gimbel tri¬
pod, a device to simulate the rolling of
the ocean and a boon to cameramen with
a weakness for mal-de-mer.
It was here, too, that he built the
first stage exclusively for trick work
and on which he made his first process
shot in 1923. This shot was made for
a picture entitled, “Sahara”, starring
Louise Glaum; and a brief recounting of
the difficulties involved provide a good
yardstick to measure the technical prog¬
ress made to date.
The screen was a piece of white silk
6 ft. x 8 ft. and had to be woven to
order in New York. There were no high-
intensity arcs, no fast film and no fast
lenses. And because no one had ever
thought of synchronous motors at that
time the actors had to try to make like
love while straddling an 80-ft. drive
shaft that connected the camera to the
projector. As a ‘first’ it was a notable
achievement, but the limitations were so
severe that the system had to be aban¬
doned for all practical purposes.
Sam Goldwyn borrowed him from Ince
and sent him to Italy on “Ben Hur”.
When he returned he found that the
studio had become M.G.M. and he car¬
ried on under that banner until 1933,
when he went with Goldwyn.
Ince also lent Paul to Doug Fairbanks
when that worthy was making “Robin
Hood”, a picture famous in its day for
the high standards of its special effects.
Paul stayed on to do “Tess of the Storm
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Since 1940 Vern Walker has been for¬
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department at R.K.O. Currently Paul is
working on “Notorious”, for the great
Hitchcock; a director who really knows
how to get the most out of special effects.
Paul stays in the trick department be¬
cause he is one of those people who
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likes to have a problem. He particularly
likes to do something a director says
can’t be done. But besides working on
the problems other people think up for
him he also thinks up some for himself.
His immediate self-imposed problem is
the creation of a process screen that can
be photographed from any angle. It will
be a great help, he feels sure, not only in
pictures but also in television which will,
he asserts, have to use process even¬
tually.
Hobbies? 0, yes! He raises orchids.
And maybe that’s a sad commentary
when a guy like Paul Eagler has to
raise his own.
A.S.C. Assignments
(Continued trom Page 100)
United Artists
Lucient Andriot, “The Strange Wom¬
an,” (Mars Film Corp.) with Hedy
Lamarr, George Sanders, Louis Hay¬
ward, Gene Lockhart.
James Van Trees, “Angel On My
Shoulder,” (Premier Prods.) with Paul
Muni, Anne Baxter, Claude Rains, Ons¬
low Stevens.
Karl Struss, “Mr. Ace and the Queen,”
(Tivoli Prod.) with George Raft, Sylvia
Sidney, Sid Silvers.
Universal Studios
Hal Mohr, “Fandango,” (Technicolor)
with Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy,
Jean Pierre Aumont, Eve Arden.
George Robinson, “Love Takes a Holi¬
day,” with Joan Davis, Jack Oakie,
Mischa Auer.
Paul Ivano, “Little Miss Big,” with
Fay Holden, Beverly Simmons.
Warner Brothers
Ernest Haller, “Humoresque,” starring
Joan Crawford and John Garfield, with
Oscar Levant, Ruth Nelson, J. Carroll
Naish.
James Wong Howe, “The Sentence,”
starring Ann Sheridan, with Kent Smith,
Robert Alda, Bruce Bennett.
Ted McCord, “A Very Rich Man,” with
Sydney Greenstreet, Martha Vickers,
Dane Clark, Alan Hale.
106
March, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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In This Issue .
THE INTERNATIONAL STYLES IN
CINEMATOGRAPHY by Herb A. Lightman
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American Cinematographer • April, 1946
111
CONTENTS
The Staff
Aces of the Camera (Jerome “Jerry” Ash, A.S.C.) By W. G. C. BOSCO 115
International Styles in Cinematography . By Herb A. Lightman 116
Filming Adventure in Northern Alaska . By Kathlene Wolfe 118
China’s Wartime Film Industry . By Ja Teh-han 120
Academy Award Winners in Cinematography for 1945 .
. By Walter R. Greene 124
Through the Editor’s Finder . 134
Among the Movie Clubs . 136
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members . 144
ON THE FRONT COVER Director of Photography Ernest Palmer, A.S.C.
checks final light readings for scene in the 20th Century-Fox Technicolor
production, “Three Little Girls in Blue.” Director Bruce Humberstone is
seated at top right, behind the camera. Principals getting Palmer’s at¬
tention are: (left to right) Frank Latimore, George Montgomery, Charles
Smith; (seated in roller chair) Vivian Blaine, June Haver and Vera Ellen.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Charles Clarke, First Vice-President Joseph Walker, Second Vice-President
Arthur Edeson, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
George Folsey. Sergeant-at-Arms
John Arnold Byron Haskin John Seitz
John Boyle Sol Polito Leon Shamroy
Lee Garmes William Skall
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A. S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff, A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Australian and New Zealand Agents
•
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year ; Canada, $2.75
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, 25c ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 35e.
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1945 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937.
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
112
April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
66
" The Mitchell camera was
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Gray.
MITCHELL CAMERA CORPORATION
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HARRY STRADLING, A.S.C.
Winner of Academy Award for Best Black-and-white photography for his photographic
direction of "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
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ACES of the CAMERA
JEROME (JERRY) ASH, A.S.C.
By W. C. C. BOSCO
IF you were to sit down to talk with
Jerry Ash, about anything, the con¬
versation would most probably take
an eventual turn toward the subject of
magic. The magic of special effects, of
course, but more particularly the magic
of those great stage illusionists of the
past and present: among them Keller,
Thurston, Blackstone, Houdini, yes, and
J. Herman Ash; who also practised the
deceiving arts under the impressive name
of “Palladinero”; a name with great
mystic significance for those with a
small knowledge of Spanish.
When Jerry does let himself go, and
talks about magic and magicians, you
come under his spell no matter how
practical minded and cynical you might
think you are about such things. Per¬
haps that’s one of his tricks. But if, on
the other hand, you admit to a feeling
of fascination for the subject — you’re
a dead duck. You’ll come away light¬
headed, not as willing as before to be¬
lieve all you see, and when you take out
your handkerchief you will do so fur¬
tively in case it turns out to be a couple
of rabbits instead. So, if this article
smacks more of illusions and ectoplasm
than of cameras and photography we
ask your indulgence. Perhaps the spell
will break when we get that poultice
of ambergis, stinkweed and chicken-fat.
Or a hair from the dog that bit us.
The first sight the public got of Jerry,
professionally, was when at the age of
nine he appeared in a musical extrava¬
ganza; not as a magician, but as one of
the “Brownies in Fairyland”; a colorful
show with an all juvenile cast, patterned
after the great English pantomimes.
Among the other bi’ownies in the cast
who were to subsequently achieve fame
in the motion picture industry were
Walter Catlett, Hobart Cavanaugh,
Florence Gardner, Ernie Adams and
Ruth Roland.
“Brownies in Fairyland” toured the
major cities in the country for more
than a year and was pronounced a great
success. But Jerry was not happy as a
Brownie. He had been bitten by the
magic bug, an ambitious bacillus from
whose bite few, if any, recover. Perhaps
he was bitten by his uncle, “The Great
Albini”, whose feats of legerdemain
held audiences spellbound in his day. But
in any case he was bitten.
After several more years of playing-
juveniles and assiduously practising the
art of magic between shows, Jerry be¬
came a professional magician in the field
of psychic phenomena; known in the
trade as a “spook act.”
At first the act could be packed into
a suitcase, but as the fame of our mental
illusionist grew his act grew with it
until he had the props for a two-hour
show. And despite the fact that, in the
parlance of the trade he remained a
“coastguard”, i.e., his act never left the
coast, his fame spread beyond the sea.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proclaimed him
the “greatest medium he had ever met.”
William T. Stead, another famous seeker
after the psychic, was equally flattering
in his remarks.
The particular illusion and piece of
apparatus that brought forth such en¬
comiums was, and is, a camera Jerry
invented for the photographing of “spirit
images.” With this camera, and the op¬
portunity for proper preparation, Jerry
can photograph any scene or object and
be sure that a spirit image of the de¬
parted soul sought by the subject will
appear on the developed negative. And
while there are many who can accom¬
plish results of a similar nature there
are none who can do so while permitting
the subject so much control of the act.
Jerry lets the subject examine the cam-
(Continued on Page 150)
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
115
INTERNATIONAL STYLES
IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
WITH the gradual readjustment
of the world to its peacetime
tempo, we ai’e at last beginning
to see the resumption of normal film
production in a number of foreign
countries which, during the war, were
forced to cease or curtail their motion
picture activity. The first fruits of this
new effort are just now beginning to
reach our screens.
We have in this country a compara¬
tively small but select audience which
has always shown great interest toward
the cinematic product that foreign
studios have in the past sent to these
shores. Aside from the entertainment
value of these pictures — and more from
the viewpoint of the film technician —
it is interesting to note how the innate
character of each nation and its people
is reflected in the approach which the
studios in different countries use in
presenting photoplays on the screen.
Here we are not concerned with the
qualities of the physical materials in¬
volved in filming: the sets, the lights,
by shortages and budget requirements
the film emulsions, the types of chem¬
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
icals used in processing the film, etc.
The quality of these elements, especially
at the present time, is greatly restricted
—so it is not fair to analyze foreign
films on this basis. Rather, when we
speak of the approach various countries
have to the cinema, we really mean the
style and imagination with which each
nation utilizes the physical tools of the
cinematic trade.
Here in America, for instance, we
have come to expect certain styles of
camerawork which, while varying with
the approach of individual cinematog¬
raphers, still have in common a quality
which is definitely American. Hollywood
technicians have developed the art of
the camera, not only with an eye to
technical achievement, but also with
consideration for the psychology of the
audience for which their pictures are
made. Americans like the clean-cut,
direct approach to a subject — no frills,
no deep symbolism, no extreme styles.
That is why the camerawork in our
films is crisp, well-lighted, fluid, and
uncomplicated. That is why our cinema¬
tographers shy away from heavy dif¬
fusion, startling angles, weird lighting,
and complicated compositions.
But just as our audience has its pref¬
erences, theatregoers in other countries
react favorably to other, more stylized
camera treatments. So unusual do some
of these techniques seem to the average
American, that he often fails to grasp
the point that is being presented. And
yet, the screen is the closest thing we
have to an international language. Let
us analyze the cinematic styles of some
of these other countries to see how they
differ from our own.
Great Britain
British filmakers — with their prac¬
tical flair for stripping a situation of
its superfluities — have in past years de¬
veloped a style of documentary camera¬
work that is dynamic and most realis¬
tic. Up until very recently, photoplays
with a documentary approach — films
such as: “The Invaders” and “One of
Our Aircraft Is Missing” — represented
the best that Britain offered on the
screen. British photography, like all
other phases of production, was down-
to-earth, restrained, often blunt and un¬
varnished. The lighting was either very
flat, or over-contrasty in simulation of
source illumination. The “Illusion of
Reality” was striking. But when this
same approach was used in films of less
documentary content, something was
obviously wrong. The cold, incisive
newsreel quality of the camerawork did
not complement these more sophisticated
themes.
Consequently, the British film indus¬
try found it necessary to change artis¬
tic tactics. Spurred on by J. Arthur
Rank, Britain’s foremost film entrepre¬
neur, the industry began to develop a
more mellow, more glossy technique of
filming fictional themes. One of the first
films to reflect this trend was a spy-
thriller called: “Candlelight in Algeria”.
It was quite obviously slanted for the
American audience — and it had many
cinematic values, both in the way of
direction and camerawork, that we have
come to look upon as typically Amer¬
ican.
Since then, British films have con¬
tinued to develop increasing amounts of
cinematic finish. The studios at Den¬
ham, Pinewood, and Elstree have
turned out some smoothly tailored bits
of screen fare. They have discovered
the magic of fluid camera movement, of
portrait lighting in close-ups, and of
The Last Chance," Swiss-made photoplay released in the United States by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is
especially notable for the completely authentic style of its photography. Well in keeping with the documentary
theme of the film, the camera work is both polished and realistic.
116 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
The use of color in British films has
progressed another leap in Mr. Coward’s
delightful comedy, “Blithe Spirit”, now
in current American release. “Henry V”
and “Caesar and Cleopatra”, both
period Technicolor epics, also contain
some breath-taking color cinemato¬
graphy.
Britain has special reason to be proud
of two recent releases: “The Man in
Grey” and “The Seventh Veil” — both of
which have been filmed with superb
polish. The lighting in these two films
departs from the flatness that formerly
characterized British films. Instead,
modelled lighting and well co-ordinated
camera movement give depth and di¬
mension to both films.
So we say that the documentary ap¬
proach which used to be the keynote of
British cinematography, is now giving
way to a smoother, more polished tech¬
nique especially tailored to the demands
of the fictional photoplay.
France
was just growing up, striving to achieve
a style, hoping that the dramatic con¬
test of its films would outweigh obvious
technical faults.
“Un Carnet du Bal” utilized perhaps
the most unusual camera approach of
any French film up till the present day.
Psychological and episodic in content,
it artfully combined extreme camera
angles with radical lighting to achieve
camera effects keyed to the changing
moods of the story.
“The Baker’s Wife” was shot with
complete realism in natural locales, and
with the accent more on dialogue and
action than on camera treatment. “Har¬
vest”, by its utter simplicity managed
to attain a certain idyllic beauty, al¬
though this effect could have been en¬
hanced by a more imaginative camera
style.
During the Nazi occupation, the films
turned out in French studios were for
the most part dull and lifeless. The
French “spark” was missing, both from
the dramatic and technical viewpoints.
It was inevitable that a reaction
amounting to over-compensation was
bound to come. It appeared several
months after the liberation of Paris in
the form of a three-hour, two million-
dollar film colossus titled “Les Enfants
du Paradis”. This picture boasted some
of the most beautiful photography ever
put on celluloid. Every scene was a
camera triumph. The lighting was
velvety and flattering, the camera-
movement was subtle and smooth. The
over-all effect smacked of a too-perfect
glamour. So dominant was the camera,
that there was very little action in the
whole film. Mostly, the characters
stood and talked at each other, while the
camera recorded first one gorgeous com-
(Continued on Page 140)
French films have long been greeted
with delight by those in this country
who are devotees of foreign cinema.
Heavily filtered exteriors add much to the rotogravure realism of "Portrait of Maria," filmed with a good
deal of cinematic artistry against the lush natural backgrounds of Old Mexico.
Interior sequences of "Portrait of Maria," outstanding Mexican film released world-wide by Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer, makes skillful use of spot-lighting, low-key, and rim lighting to give realistic effect of source
illumination.
unusual compositions. The results have
been most pleasing.
The self-conscious and frequently
forced cinematic devices of Noel Cow¬
ard’s “In Which We Serve” have given
way to the realistic, yet smoothly con¬
trolled camera techniques of the same
producer’s “This Happy Breed”. This
film, photographed with a pastel fresh¬
ness in monopack Technicolor, is a gem
of motion picture-making in that all of
its camera effects are strictly motivated
by, and in keeping with, the subject
mater of the film.
Especially well-received in the past were
such witty Gallic comedies as “The
Baker’s Wife” and “Carnival in Flan¬
ders”, and dramas such as “Grand Il¬
lusion”, “Un Carnet du Bal”, and “Port
of Shadows”.
While all of these films revealed dra¬
matic artistry, most of them suffered
from inadequate and stilted photog¬
raphy. The French cinema industry
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
117
Filming Adventure
in
Northern Alaska
By KATHLENE WOLFE
ROBERT L. Shankel, professional
photographer and traveler, is an
authority on photography under
frigid and sub-zero conditions, having
traveled throughout Alaska extensively
for six years. He lived for one year at
Cape Prince of Wales, habitat of the
true Eskimo and the backdrop for his
current 16mm. Kodachrome 45 minute
feature, “ENIPEYUK (Eskimo)— SUR¬
VIVAL IN THE NORTH,” which he
made during that year. The village is
situated near the Arctic Circle forty
miles opposite the Siberian coast. In¬
duction into the Army temporarily put
to one side his research on Eskimo life.
The Army Air Forces discovered his
working knowledge to be a valuable
asset and stationed him for two and a
half years in the Aleutians as a photo
technician and ground and aerial pho-
tograper.
Due to the existing adverse, hazard¬
ous and unanticipated conditions in the
Arctic, Mr. Shankel was forced to de¬
vise his own system of operating. A
Bell & Howell Filmo 70-DA equipped
with a wide angle 15mm. F:2.5 Taylor-
Hobson-Cooke lens, a 4” F:2.8 lens and
a 1” F:1.5 lens; a Roliflex, tripod and
only 3000 feet of Kodachrome landed
originally with Mr. Shankel at his pic¬
ture location, a typical native village
far above civilization, accessible only by
plane or dogteam at that time. In plan¬
ning his sojourn, Shankel had ordered
ONE MAN CAMERA EXPEDITION ON THE ARCTIC SHORES
ROBERT SHANKEL
flash equipment, a recording set-up, and
a surplus of film — all to be delivered by
plane once he had established his base.
Japan cut loose about that time and
such necessary equipment consequently
never arrived. Our photographer was
stranded, surrounded by grinning, gap¬
ing Eskimos and with only the afore¬
mentioned equipment and small amount
of film to work with. Rough! But as
Mr. Shankel points out, “if a seemingly
impossible problem presents itself, don’t
back away — don’t take the long way
around. Solve it sensibly — then whack
it right down the middle.”
He took his own words literally. He
not only whacked his problems and ob¬
stacles down the middle — he cut a clean
groove while about it. His picture is
proof of his preachings. All odds con¬
sidered, it is a feat in itself.
Before delving into the technical oper¬
ations employed by Shankel, here’s a
little warning to the reader. If you are
a photographer whose equipment means
more to you than your wife, don’t be
aghast at Shankel’s cruel treatment of
his Roliflex. Consider the reasons. Com¬
pare it to the patient, pampering way
he “babied” his movie camera. If you
are a “4 W pro” who is exact as to
the why, when, whati and wherefores of
your game, don’t flinch at the seemingly
blase manner Shankel “knocked out his
picture.” Consider the conditions.
Mr. Shankel said, “In planning my
trip, I naturally wanted the best equip¬
ment available. Previous experience as
a traveling photographer throughout
civilized sections of Alaska gave me a
working knowledge as to how various
equipment would react to and operate
under sub-zero weather. But I was
headed for a remote, unknown section —
the actual existing conditions of which
I knew little. A thorough climatic and
118 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
anticipatory research plus past experi¬
ence guided my choice of equipment. I
also knew my equipment would receive
severe rough treatment by being bounced
around in a dogsled or boat. I had to
have the lightest, and at the same time,
the sturdiest and most durable type of
cameras. If circumstances and time had
permitted my best bet would have been
a light magazine camera with a special
crank accessory. Under extreme sub¬
zero weather, a crank is an absolute
necessity. But circumstances did not
allow me time. A Bell & Howell Filmo
70-DA with a crank accessory was my
choice. Because of its sturdy die casting
I was assured it would withstand severe
treatment and would operate more satis¬
factorily and be less tempermental than
less sturdy models. Its weight (app. 4
lbs.) was a decided advantage.
In the chosing of my still camera,
many things had to be considered;
weight, size and type of film. Con¬
sidering conditions I would be operating
under, a Speedgraphic or similar model
would not fill the bill. Its weight and size
would be too cumbersome. Film packs
would be inconvenient to carry and, too,
in extreme cold, the cement binding
paper which holds the paper tab to the
film will freeze and pull away from the
film. Special accessories affording the
use of roll film are available, but again
time would not permit a delay. I chose
a Roliflex because it was light, com¬
pact and convenient.
“The remainder of my equipment was
selected with the same forethought, but
as my orders were cancelled, the afore¬
mentioned cameras shot the entire
works.”
“My cameras were winterized to with¬
stand 60 degrees below freezing. Any
equipment which is to be regularly oper¬
ated at temperatures below 20° F should
be winterized. All lubricants should be
removed from ALL inner and outer
movable metal camera parts. Gasoline
(lead-free) or dry cleaners’ naptha can
be used. Metal movable parts which
contact each other should be smoothed
and buffed to allow for contraction
which occurs at low temperatures.
“Even with this precautionary win¬
terization, my equipment froze up main¬
ly because I had new instead of well
broken in equipment. Too, the type of
cold at Cape Prince of Wales, a coastal
village, is damp and affected the mov¬
able parts more so than dry cold. The
contraction on outer metal movable
parts was so severe it took all my
strength to move them. The inner metal
movable parts on my movie camera were
so affected the spring tension wasn’t
great enough to move working parts. I
would have to hold starter button down,
and crank to start operation. Time
upon time I would have to completely
disassemble cameras and buff and sand
down movable parts. Especially was
this necessary on the Roliflex. I buffed
it to such an extent it would practically
rattle, but when gradually subjected to
the extreme cold it would again tighten
up. I often wished I’d had a supply of
simple Box Brownies!
“Cold equipment brought into warm
air will condense moisture from vapor
in the warm air. This “sweating” is
harmful and will freeze if equipment
is subjected to freezing temperatures
before condensation has completely dis¬
appeared. Lenses will not give sharp
definition if there is a great temperature
difference between different parts of the
lenses. A lens will generally be out of
focus while its temperature is changing
I never brought my equipment into my
shack except when special coverings
were made or equipment need adjusting.
The cameras, in cases, were brought
inside, placed in a corner away from
stove and left for an hour or so, gradu¬
ally adjusting to room temperature. I
would then place the equipment up
higher, as heat rises, and leave a while
longer. Even before taking camera
from case, I would “hand-test” to be
certain air inside case was the same
temperature as outside. Then and only
then did I take cameras out for repairs.
After the cameras had been worked on,
I went through the same process in
reverse, readjusting equipment from
warm air to cold.
“During my travels throughout Alas¬
ka, I learned the fundamentals of proc¬
essing film in extreme low tempera¬
tures. My ‘improvised’ laboratories
were extremely crude. Necessity proved
to be the mother of invention.
“There were times when I had to use
melted snow and ice for processing solu¬
tions and in the washing of negatives
and prints. Often times the prepared
solutions, which had been set aside to
be used again, would freeze solid, and
the containers if filled too full would
crack under the pressure. To prevent
this I would store solutions near the
ceiling of the lab. However, I found
this freezing did not effect the energy
of the “soup” providing the chemicals
had not been previously effected before
dissolving. A marked precipitation from
the damp cold often times took place in
stored chemicals. Once precipitated
these chemicals would become inactive,
invariably decreasing energy of devel¬
oper.
“For instance, the solubility of hydro-
quinone, when subjected to low temper¬
atures would decrease rapidly. Crystal¬
lization would take place, if a solution
containing hydroquinone were subjected
after using, to temperatures lower than
40°F. Small, needle-like icicles would
form causing black specks on contact
with emulsions of negatives. The en¬
ergy would still be effected even if
these precipates were filtered out or re¬
dissolved by warming. I found I could
prevent this crystallization if isopropyl
alcohol were added up to 10% of the
developer volume. Butyl or ethyl alcohol
could be used for this same process, but
I used isopropyl because of its high
solvent properties. However it was much
simpler to set this solution where a
temperature would not cause this cry¬
stallization.
“Often times when excited and eager
to see immediate results of an unusual
(Continued on Page 138)
EXTREME DIFFICULTIES OF CAMERA LOADING ARE ILLUSTRATED IN ABOVE STILLS
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
119
CHINA'S WARTIME FILM
INDUSTRY
By JA TEH-LAN
IF any medals are to be given motion
picture camera for war service, the
China Film Company has a candi¬
date. This studio’s Bell & Howell
camera (No. 799) was no youngster in
1938, but since then, it has photographed
14 feature-length productions and any
number of short subjects under prob¬
ably as tough conditions for continuous
operation as any studio lens box in the
world.
The technicians who have nursed old
799 through all this footage do not claim
she is as good as new, but they will
take her down the Yangtse when the
river rises again this spring to photo¬
graph the completion of the move of
the Chinese Army’s battered studio back
to the east coast. By then it is hoped
that the new American equipment will
be available to revitalize the Chinese
motion picture industry which took exile
and bombing — but can now look back
proudly on having done its job in the
long war against the Japanese aggres¬
sion.
Protecting Equipment
In 1937 there were six Chinese studios
in regular production, although Ameri¬
can films dominated the market in the
some 200 commercial theatres then oper¬
ating. As the Japs swept over Shanghai
and Nanking, the problem of the
Chinese movie makers was to get out
and save at least some of their precious
equipment. One move after another was
made, with losses each time by either
capture or fire. As the little industry
fled for its life to Nanking, Hanchow,
and finally on the long trip up the river
to rocky Chungking, the studios were
consolidated into one organization under
the Political Training Board of the
Chinese Army. Two other groups, also
as part of the Goverment, were the
Central Film Studio and the Educa¬
tional Film Studio, but — since the main
job was military— nearly all the scanty
equipment which could be saved was
operated by the Army picture makers
as the China Pictorial Service or the
China Film Studio.
Hilltop Studio Site
On one of the highest hills in Chung¬
king, an old Bhuddist monastery was
taken over in 1938 for the studio. The
following titles will indicate the kind of
pictures which the Chinese made during
their country’s most desperate years :
“Defend Our Soil,” “Fight to the Last,”
“Good Husband and Good Soldier,”
“Anti-tank Defense,” “The Light of
East Asia,” “On the Border Front,”
To reach the millions of troops still in the armies of China, 40 mobile projection units have been set up
in the field to exhibit morale, training and entertainment films provided by the Army Pictorial Service of
the Central Government.
Cameraman Wang Sie-chen setting up to shoot a
military training demonstration on location near
Chungking
“Revival Through Flame,” “Storm Over
Mongolia,” and “The Secret Agent of
Japan.” “Return to Our Country” and
“Police Soul” are among the latest
productions, these two being completed
in 1945.
Unfortunately, the next hill on one
side of the studio sheltered most of the
government War offices and the hill on
the other side held the municipal water
reservoir of Chungking, so when the
Japs came bombing, the studio caught
more than its share. The newsreel men,
however, also got some magnificent
photography. Much of the dramatic
film material for “Battle of China,”
produced by Frank Capra in his out¬
standing series of orientation films for
the American Army, came from the
brave and skillful work of the Chinese
newsreel crews in Chungking, and those
attached to the struggling armies of the
Chinese Central government.
Auxiliary Military Education
Chinese cinematography during the
war included only a few subjects which
could be called strictly military training
films comparable to the reels produced
in such numbers by the Army Pictorial
Service and the Academy Research
Council in the United States. The Chi¬
nese also made chronological war rec¬
ords. But the bulk of their production
was designed as “Auxiliary Millitary
Education” and was substantially a
cross between training films and the
type of semi-documentary entertainment
and public morale features which the
Hollywood studios made during the war
about different branches of the armed
forces.
Like these American films, the Chi¬
nese productions used professional and
(Continued on Page 148)
120
April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Thousands of dollars
in film damage
SAVED BY VICTORS "Safety Zone "
MAST
VICTOR’S exclusive design brings you this triple insurance
against costly film damage:
1. Safety Film Trip — stops projector instantly in
emergency or in case of incorrect film threading.
2. 180 0 Swing-Out Lens Mount — simplifies cleaning
of dust and grit.
3. Duo-Flexo Pawls — slide into film perforations
accurately instead of punching new holes.
A VICTOR projector treats film gently . . . handles film safely.
Even inexperienced operators, as well as old hands, enjoy operating
VICTOR, because of these Safety Features. They are delighted,
too, with the brilliance of VICTOR’S Straight Line Beam and
the thrilling fidelity of VICTOR’S Sound System.
VICTOR
ANIMATO&RAPH
CORPORATION
Home Office and Factory: Davenport, Iowa
New York 1181, 330 W. 42nd St. • Chicago 111, 188 W. Randolph
ERPIECE OF
I 6 M M CRAFTSMEN
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
121
Carleton of Hollywood Colorfilm
Back From Agfa Checkup
C. H. Carleton of Hollywood Colorfilm
Corporation is back from Germany,
where he got an insight into the improve¬
ments of color film processing as de¬
veloped by the Agfa engineers and tech¬
nicians during the war years.
Special group of American color ex¬
perts was headed by Nathan Golden,
chief of the foreign motion picture di¬
vision of the Department of Commerce.
Others in the party included: Harold
Harsh of Ansco, H. Werner Sachs of
Photo Products division of Remington-
Rand, and Lt. Col. Richard Ranger,
who met the party in Europe and ar¬
ranged details of visits and interviews.
Carleton stated the party went through
several film and camera plants in the
American zone of occupation, watched
the processing and making of film, and
interviewed the top directors, chemists
and research engineers of Agfa who
were all in the American zone.
Information received, he declared,
filled in gaps with specific data and de¬
tails which had not been previously dis¬
closed with relation to the processing of
color film, and especially resulted in the
correction of chemical formulas. A 34
page report was prepared by the group,
and will shortly be released generally to
the film industry by Golden in Wash¬
ington.
Bulk of information compiled indicated
that the Wolfen Agfa color film plant is
now being operated by the Russians, as
the factory is in latter’s zone. Conclu¬
sion is that the Soviet is using the color
film manufactured for its own state film
activities.
Victor Donates Visual
Scholarships
To encourage and further the increase
of visual education, Victor Animato-
graph Corporation has provided funds
for two 4-H Club scholarships in visual
education. Check to cover the scholar¬
ships has been turned over to the Na¬
tional Committee on Boys and Girls
Club work by S. G. Rose, executive vice
president of Victor Corporation.
Contestants for the scholarships are
required to show evidence of interest
and experience in the operation of mo¬
tion projection equipment, use of cam¬
eras, slidefilms, slides and other visual
aids. Victor Animatograph is one of the
leading manufacturers of 16 mm. sound
projectors and equipment.
Telefilm Completes 16mm.
Newsreel
Telefilm technicians have completed
sound dubbing and release prints via
kodachrome of the second release of
“Planet News.” Latter is strictly a 16
mm. newsreel, and was photographed in
color by Tom Braatelein and Ed Drews.
Although Carleton could not discuss
technical details uncovered by the in¬
vestigating group because of the early
issuance of the combined report, he did
point out that current newsreels in color
had been released regularly in Germany
during the war, with the prints being
shown in the theatres generally within a
week after being originally shot. He dis¬
closed that prints of these color news¬
reels are being brought back to the
United States for general information
of the industry, together with prints of
features and shorts also turned out in
color.
Total of 12 features and about 50
short subjects — in addition to the news¬
reels — were produced via the Agfa color
process during the war, Carleton stated,
and many of these displayed a much bet¬
ter overall color quality for depth, defini¬
tion, pastel and vivid colors, than the
color in “Girl of My Dreams,” German-
made color feature which was shown
generally in Hollywood and New York
to interested film officials.
The German film industry was par¬
ticularly short of cameras and produc¬
tion equipment, Carleton commented. For
this reason, three okayed shots of every
scene for a picture had to be okayed for
negative, as only one camera was being
used at all times. De Brie super parvo
and Eclair cameras were generally used
by the German studios, while Arroflex
cameras were utilized for newsreel work.
Latter are decidedly compact and light
in weight, carrying 200 foot magazines;
however, there were very few of them
in the hands of the Germans for use.
Denham Promoted by DuPont
James S. Denham, who has been as¬
sistant manager of the Rayon depart¬
ment of DuPont, has been appointed
general manager of the Photo Products
division to succeed George A. Scanlan.
Latter retired last month due to health
reasons. Both Denham and Scanlan
joined the DuPont organization in 1915.
"Floating Film" Features
Bell & Howell Projectors
Prolonging the life of home movie
makers valued pictures has been a
major concern of movie equipment man¬
ufacturers. Developed film has long been
protected by chemical processes, but
these alone are not enough if the projec¬
tor subjects the film to excessive wear
as it is carried through the machine.
This wear is caused mainly by the
sprockets, rollers, and guides. Quick,
effortless film threading is of no value
if, in the process, the film is scratched
or -punctured.
Answer to these problems is claimed
by Bell & Howell Company for its “float¬
ing film” features. Their movie projec¬
tors are said to be equipped with sprock¬
ets and rollers that do not permit the
picture area or sound track of the film
to touch any stationary metal parts as
it passes through the machine. Thus,
scratching of the emulsion is eliminated,
providing longer lasting clarity of pic¬
tures.
This has been accomplished by placing
on the sprockets, rollers, gate shoe, and
guides, a thin land or ridge which is
the only metal that contacts the film.
This has been accomplished by placing
on the sprockets, rollers, gate shoe, and
guides, a thin land or ridge which is the
only metal that contacts the film. This
land is so located that it touches the
film near the perforations, outside the
picture area. The shuttle teeth, trans¬
porting the film past the aperture, move
in a rectangular path. This straight in —
straight down — straight out — action pre¬
vents the teeth from “sawing” on the
edges of the film perforations.
Sprockets and sprocket guards are de¬
signed to prevent incorrect film thread¬
ing. The film is either properly threaded
on the sprocket, with the teeth engaging
the perforations correctly, or it is held
clear of the sprocket teeth by the guard.
There, although it is obviously not cor¬
rectly threaded, no damage to the film
can result even though the machine is
started. When correctly threaded on
the sprockets, the guard positively pre¬
vents the film from coming off. These
sprockets are claimed to greatly sim¬
plify film threading.
Bell & Howell sprocket and guard designed to eliminate film wear. When film is incorrectly threaded,
guard holds it clear of sprocket teeth.
122 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
HOW TO MAKE
A “HIT”--- HIT!
T X THEN you get hold of a wonderful
* * script, remember —
It’s the small details that make a “hit”
click with critics and audiences.
And though the choice of film may seem a
small detail, you’ll realize just how im¬
portant it can be when you see the smooth
gradation and sensitive panchromatic
color response of Ansco Supreme film.
Ansco Supreme has high resolving power
and excellent fine-grain qualities. It pro¬
vides you with negatives that yield beau-
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tiful release prints. In competent hands,
such film can mean better photography!
Insist on Ansco Supreme for your next
production.
Ansco
A DIVISION OF GENERAL ANILINE
& FILM CORPORATION
BINGHAMTON • HOLLYWOOD • NEW YORK
FIRST WITH THE FINEST
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
123
LEON SHAMROY, A. S. C., being presented with the Academy
"Oscar" by David Wark Griffith, dean of producers and directors, for
best color photography of 1945.
Academy awards for the most
outstanding achievements in mo¬
tion picture photography, pre¬
sented at the 18th annual Awards of
Merit event of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences at Grauman’s
Chinese theatre, Hollywood, on the eve¬
ning of March 7th, honored Henry
Stradling, A. S. C., and John Fulton,
A. S. C.
Stradling received the annual Oscar
for best achievement in black-and-white
cinematography for his photographic di¬
rection of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
production, “The Picture of Dorian
Gray.” Shamroy’s direction of photog¬
raphy on the Twentieth Century-Fox
production, “Leave Her to Heaven,”
gained him recognition for the best in
the color classification. Fulton’s special
photographic effects for the Samuel
Goldwyn production, “Wonder Man,”
was judged best of the year in that field.
Presentation of the Oscars for best
photographic achievements of 1945 was
made by David Wark Griffith, whose pio¬
neering as a director and producer in the
formative years of the motion picture
industry was a major factor in the rapid
progress of the business. Just as im¬
portant were his many innovations of
camera techniques which were rapidly
adopted by other producers and di¬
rectors.
For Shamroy, the Oscar represented
the third time that he has been accorded
honors by the Academy for outstanding
color photography. Last year, he stepped
to the platform to receive the award for
best color cinematography on 20th-Fox’s
“Wilson,” and previously his color pho¬
tography for “The Black Swan” was
tabbed as best of 1942.
LEON SHAMROY
“Leave Her to Heaven,” the motion
picture that won for Leon Shamroy,
A.S.C., the 1945 Academy award for
color cinematography, is a film that
Harry Stradling
John
1945 Academy
combines the art and science of the cam¬
era to very best advantage.
Basically a dramatic story, the film
was handsomely mounted and featured
striking modern interiors, lush natural
exteriors, and a good deal of stunning
feminine wardrobe — as well as the highly
photogenic facades of the players them¬
selves.
Obviously, the task confronting the
cinematographer was a difficult one. In
translating this story into “gorgeous
Technicolor,” his foremost objective was
to record and enhance the dramatic
values of the script. The story abounds
with tense, forceful situations, and it
was as much the job of the cinematog¬
rapher as it was that of the director to
portray these clashes of human emotion
to best advantage.
On the other hand, the highly photo¬
genic sets and locales fairly cried out
for striking picturization on the screen.
The average cinematographer might
have been tempted to let the cinematic
possibilities of these elements run away
with him, but Shamroy achieved just
the right balance. His camera was used
primarily to further the dramatic impact
of the story — but at the same time (and
without detracting from the action) he
managed to bring out the full richness
of the beautiful settings against which
the story is set.
Technically, the photography in “Leave
Her to Heaven” reached a new high.
It shied away from fiat, undramatic set
illumination, and achieved a warm mel¬
low effect by the use of modelled interior
lighting. While duplicating source light¬
ing in most cases, Shamroy still managed
to place his lights in a way that focused
attention dramatically on the action at
hand. It was at the same time emphatic
and pleasant to look at.
Especially well done was the low-key
exterior sequence on the mountain top
during which the main character
mounted on horseback scatters the ashes
of her dead father to the winds. This
124 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Leon Shamroy
Fulton
Award Winners
by WALTER R. GREENE
sequence demanded effects which were
particularly difficult to record in color.
An authentic atmosphere of dusk was
required, but in toning down the gen¬
eral landscape effect, care had to be
taken not to let the players blank out
into silhouette. The expressions on their
faces were of highest dramatic import¬
ance at this point of the story, so enough
detail had to be retained in shadow
areas to show these expressions while
keeping the general key low enough for
an authentic dusk effect. Needless to say,
Shamroy achieved this balance most
effectively.
Wisely, the cinematographer made use
of simple compositions which succeeded
in bringing out the innate beauty of the
settings, steering clear of complicated
approaches which would have detracted.
All in all, the color photography was of
supreme quality, admirably suited to
the changing dramatic patterns of the
story.
HARRY STRADLING
“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” which
won for Harry Stradling, A.S.C., the
1945 Academy award for black and white
cinematography, is an ideal example of
what the industry would call “quality”
dramatic photography. The film itself re¬
volves about a bizarre situation: a man
who remains the same age in appear¬
ance while his portrait grows older, re¬
flecting the hideous ravages of his sinful
life. It would have been the natural in¬
clination of most cinematographers to
utilize a similarly bizarre style of pho¬
tography to complement this wierd
theme. But Stradling adopted an entirely
different approach; he used a smooth,
rich technique which by its very re¬
straint and understatement succeeded in
pointing up the unusual dramatic situa¬
tions involved. The contrast packed a
potent wallop.
Technically, Stradling’s photography
in “Dorian Gray” was superb. Richly
HARRY STRADLING, A. S. C., receiving the Academy "Oscar" from
David Wark Griffith for best black-and-white photography of 1945.
contrasting blacks and whites, “sculp¬
tured lighting,” forceful compositions —
all these imparted a kind of velvety
richness to the film, and yet the style
used was not of the pure “glamour”
variety. Rather, it managed to achieve
a dramatic emphasis that added force to
the presentation of the story.
Especially forceful were the camera
compositions. Stradling has a fine style
of using foreground objects to frame
or point up action taking place in the
background. He has mastered the tech¬
nique of knowing when this treatment
will add rather than detract from the
scene, and he uses the device most skill¬
fully.
Fluid camera movement played an im¬
portant part in placing this film on top
for the Academy award. Skillfully keyed
to the action, Stradling’s mobile camera
moved from one effective composition to
another without calling attention to
itself.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a
cinematographer’ s picture in that it rep¬
resents beautiful photography skillfully
tailored to the requirements of an un¬
usual dramatic story.
JOHN FULTON
John Fulton, A.S.C., is the recipient
of the 1945 Academy award for his spe¬
cial photographic effects in the Techni¬
color film “Wonder Man.” In this film,
Fulton had his work cut out for him,
since practically the entire picture re¬
lies on special effects for its story
content.
The film concerns a pair of twin
brothers, one of whom is killed off early
in the action, but who returns quite fre¬
quently in ghost form to hold long dis¬
cussions with his still-living twin.
The special effects of the twin brothers
(both played by the same actor) appear¬
ing together in the same scene, was ac¬
complished by a series of matte shots
extremely difficult to produce in color.
This device is not new, but rarely if
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
125
JOHN FULTON, A. S .C., (left) who was awarded the Academy
"Oscar" for the best photographic effects of 1945.
ever has it been so effectively utilized as
in “Wonder Man.” So excellent was the
balance in lighting, the matching of
perspective, and the duplication of color
temperature — that even a technical au¬
dience was not conscious of “trick” pho¬
tography.
It is a tribute to Fulton’s technique
that the double-image sequences, the
appearance and disappearance of the
“ghost,” and other tricky devices used
in the picture were produced with such
finesse that they seemed a natural, even
realistic, part of a story that was in
content almost pure fantasy.
Other Technical Awards
Stephen Dunn and the sound depart¬
ment of RKO Studios received the Acad¬
emy award for the best sound recording
on feature releases of 1945 on produc¬
tion of “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”
Upon recommendation of the Academy
Research Council, and after careful con¬
sideration of scientific and technical
procedure and equipment, the following
awards in Class II of the Research Coun¬
cil were announced:
To: Loren Ryder, Charles R. Daily,
and the Paramount Sound Department
for the design, construction and use of
the first dial controlled step-by-step
sound channel lineup and test circuit.
Previous to the development of this
equipment, sound channel lineup and
testing has been handled by means of
auxiliary equipment. During the course
of time, development of sound recording
equipment has resulted in the introduc¬
tion of test procedures which had become
increasingly more complicated and in¬
creasingly more subject to error. This
new device simplifies the lineup, testing
and trouble shooting in a sound chan¬
nel, and specifies a fixed step-by-step
procedure which eliminates the possibil¬
ity of error and permits a 100% test
metering with resultant easy localization
of trouble, without interruption of the
mixer monitor and with automatic re¬
turn of all circuits to normal for re¬
cording.
To: Michael S. Leshing, Benjamin C.
Robinson, Arthur B. Chatelain and Rob¬
ert C. Stevens of 20th Century-Fox
Studio, and John G. Capstaff of the East¬
man Kodak Co., for the 20th Century-
Fox Film Processing Machine.
This machine incorporates several new
scientific principles for the processing of
film as well as a number of mechanical
improvements in film handling features.
By means of controlled turbulation and
agitation, the machine eliminates direc¬
tional effect inherent in conventional
methods for development of film. Means
for driving the film through the tanks is
arranged to control the tension so closely
that variations in the strain in the film
is held to less than one ounce from the
beginning to the end of the machine, to
thus eliminate scratching and reduce film
breakage to a point where it is no longer
a major concern of the machine operator.
In case of breakage, however, automatic
means are provided to shut off the feed¬
ing of film into the tank while at the
same time the other end of the film is
carried on through the tank in the usual
order.
Automatic Fade Device For
Cine Special
An automatic fade device of utmost
simplicity has been designed by Joseph
Yolo, producer of industrial films, who
recognized the need for such an acces¬
sory in his film work. After designing
the automatic fade for his own use, he
launched on a manufacturing program
which is placing many devices in the
hands of 16 mm. professional and ama¬
teur cinematographers.
The attachment is assembled on the
right side of the camera, with only minor
revisions of the regulation setup re¬
quired. Only a slight bending of the
standard shutter lever so that the latter
does not engage the notches on the index
plate, is all that is required. No holes
have to be drilled on the camera itself.
Operation is from the winding crank¬
shaft, with the lever arm automatically
extended to operate the shutter lever for
fade in or fade out — whichever might be
required on a specific scene.
-■
Yolo Cine Fade Device
Model A
126 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
TJL Wemien
The AMERICAN SOCIETY
ol CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Extend conyratuiationA to . . .
HARRY STRADIING, A.S.C.
LEON SHAMROY, A.S.C.
JOHN FULTON. A.S.C.
or their ou
tdtandi
iny acnieue-
ts in cinematography duriny
1945 which accorded th
men
^dhcadc
emy
war<
em
*ecoy
nition.
HARRY STRADLING
ASC
Best Black and White
Photography
Award
“THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY”
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Production
Do m, DJLw £
ow cameramen
, Z/lianb
LEON SHAMROY
ASC
Best Color Photography Award
1945- “LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN
1944— "WILSON"
1942— "BLACK SWAN"
for
20TH CENTURY-FOX
1945
18tk
nnua
l Sewards
ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
CjrcLte^uilty,
JOHN FULTON
LU.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
AWARD
WONDER MAN
99
SAMUEL GOLDWYN PRODUCTION
1945
mk yl
nniici
/ A j
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ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES
WJe proudly (Congratulate —
LEON SHAMROY, A.S.C.
Director of Photography
For Outstanding Photographic Achievement
In Color
“LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN”
20th Century-Fox Production
in
TECHNICOLOR
•JOHN FELTON, A.S.C.
Special Ejects
“WONDER MAN”
Samuel Goldwyn Production
in|I
TECHNICOLOR
EASTMAN FILMS
J. E. BRULATOUR, Inc
DISTRIBUTORS
New York • Chicago
Hollywood
<@UPONJ) CONGRATULATES---
XtS.U.J. PAT. Off.
HARRY STRADLING, A.S.C.
Director of Photography
SAM LEAVITT
Operative Cameraman
FRANK PHILLIPS EDWARD DAVIS
1st Asst. Cameraman
2nd Asst. Cameraman
For Outstanding Photographic Achievement in
Black & White
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's
“PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY"
❖
o . . .
STEPHEN DUNN
and the Sound Department of
RKO-Radio Pictures, Inc.
for their Outstanding Achievement in Sound Recording
Rainbow Productions
“THE REUS OF ST. MARY’S"
* *
Photographed on
Recorded on
u. s. pat. orr.
cflrpn>
Superior 2 — Type 126
F.G. Sound Recording — Type 226
REG. U.S. PAT. Off
E.l. DU PONT
NEMOURS & CO. INC
Photo Products Department
SMITH & ALLER. LTD
Pacific Coast Distributors
orf-
METRO-GOLDWYN-M AYER is PROUD of
HARRY STRADLING
and congratulates him for his Academy Award
for the Black and White photography of
"THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY”
THROUGH the EDITOR'S FINDER
PRESENT STATUS of development
of Ansco color film for eventual use
by the motion picture industry was
explained in detail by E. A. Williford,
vice president of General Aniline and
Film Co. in charge of the Ansco divi¬
sion, at meeting of the American So¬
ciety of Cinematographers on evening of
March 18th.
His talk, which was clear-cut and in¬
formative, served to discount many in¬
accurate trade reports both about the
company itself and the color process now
in the course of development for com¬
mercial use in 35 mm. form. After briefly
sketching recent corporate history of
Ansco, including acquisition of the com¬
pany in 1928 by the German Agfa con-
concern and seizure of the corporation
by the Alien Property Custodian at out¬
break of the war, Williford impressed
that the company was now entirely
American-owned and controlled to pre¬
vent any future acquisition by foreign
interests.
During the war years, he stated, the
Ansco research laboratories and scien¬
tists had made most important progress
in the development of its multi-layer
color film stock. So much so that — when
facts of wartime German progress at the
Afga plant at Wolfen were disclosed —
it was found that the Ansco engineers
were far ahead; and only one German
ALLEN M. DAVEY, A. S. C.
The motion picture industry lost one of
its pioneer cinematographers with the
sudden passing of Allen M. Davey,
A. S. C., from a heart attack on March
5th at the age of 51. Davey started as
a production cameraman back in the
early teens before the advent of feature
length pictures; and in those days was
responsible for starting the careers of
many present-day cinematographers who
— as assistant cameramen — found him an
expert and willing tutor.
He left the Universal staff for service
in World War I, and later was contract
cameraman with National Film Corp.
After free-lancing for some years, he
joined Technicolor in 1937 as a color
cinematographic expert up to 18 months
ago when he signed a term contract
with 20th Century-Fox. His original en¬
gagement by Technicolor — which resulted
in progress to one of the foremost color
cinematographers in the industry — was
paved by Ray Rennahan, A. S. C. — who
had originally got his start as an assist¬
ant cameraman under Davey’s wing many
years previously.
During the past six years, Davey was
nominated for Academy Award recogni¬
tion in color photography on four occa¬
sions— in 1940, 1943, 1944 and 1945. For
the latter year, he received joint photo¬
graphic credit on Columbia's "A Song
to Remember" with Tony Gaudio, A.S.C.
Surviving is his widow; son, Allen M.
Davey, jr., an assistant cameraman at
Columbia; and daughter, Doris, now sta¬
tioned at San Diego as a member of the
Waves.
formula was as good or better than those
developed by the Ansco staff. That was
the cyan color former, which will shortly
be incorporated in the manufacture of
Ansco color film stock.
Status of the American use of the
German color film patents was fully ex¬
plained. Williford stated that Ansco had
a contract with I. G. Farben for Ameri¬
can rights to all such patents, and that
contract has never been cancelled. He
anticipated that any German patents of
Farben covering film manufacturing or
processing which naturally were not
filed during the war years, would eventu¬
ally be turned over to Ansco without
reservation.
The executive admitted that the pres¬
ent Ansco plant — plus the new addition
now under construction — could not meet
the requirements of the Hollywood stu¬
dios and distributors for negative and
positive stock for a long time to come.
Answering a question, he disclosed that
some quantities of Ansco color film would
be available for studio production use in
1947.
Ansco’s capacity for 35 mm. color film
will be in the neighborhood of 150,000,-
000 feet annually. Because of the added
steps in manufacture due to the five sep¬
arate emulsion coatings on the film base
in contrast to the two coatings neces¬
sary on black and white raw stock, Willi¬
ford pointed out that overall plant ca¬
pacity is reduced more than 50 per cent.
Further, he disclosed, there are certain
refinements in manufacture to be accom¬
plished before the Ansco color film can
be utilized for general studio production.
While these are being perfected, how¬
ever, the company is cooperating in de¬
veloping the laboratory development pro¬
cedures for the color film negative and
positive so that when the film does be¬
come available in sufficient quantities,
the producers will be familiar in de¬
tail with the laboratory requirements
and methods for best results. Producers
will, he assured the gathering, be able to
handle development and processing of
both negative and positive in their own
laboratories without any outside facilities
for such work required.
Atomic Bomb Filming
Motion picture photography will play
a most important part in the coming
atom bomb tests in the Pacific, and a
number of members of American Society
of Cinematographers will be active in
directing the huge camera organization
being set up to record the event, as well
as actually shooting the film. Major Gil¬
bert Warrenton was only on inactive
status for two days after four years of
duty with the Army Air Force photo¬
graphic unit — much of it overseas — when
he was called back to serve for the dura¬
tion of the atom bomb project.
Major Warrenton lined up Paul Perry,
Harry Perry, Captain Lloyd Knechtel,
Captain Tom Tutwiler — all members of
A.S.C., and specifically requested for
the project by the AAF because of their
experience in production cinematography
and prior service. It is expected that
the photographic unit under the AAF
wing will comprise around 250 men, in¬
cluding second cameramen, assistants,
film cutters, loaders, and other neces¬
sary for the efficient operation of the
photographic organization.
General Spaatz of the AAF has di¬
rected B29s, photo planes and bombers
be placed at the disposal of the photo¬
graphic unit crews. Standard and speed
cameras, using both black and white and
color negative, will be used in record¬
ing the most historic event. According
to information released in Washington,
the AAF will take charge of all the
aerial photography in connection with the
project, including the actual dropping of
bomb, its landing, and the devastation
that will follow. Each camera ship
will be briefed in advance to focus its
cameras on a specific point or object,
so that a most detailed and complete
visual history will be recorded.
Navy Photographic Program
From information approved by the
Navy security office in Washington, dis¬
closure is made that the Navy will util¬
ize remote-controlled, long range motion
picture cameras on the ground and at
sea level for additional angles of the
bomb-dropping.
Batteries of cameras are to be mount¬
ed atop heavy 100-foot steel towers on
several islands five to 10 miles distant
from the target, in the Bikini Atoll,
Marshall Islands. The cameras must be
shielded in tower rooms constructed of
thick lead sheets. Inside the lead hous¬
ing the cameras, additionally protected
by airtight, waterproof boxes, will pho¬
tograph through optically flat windows
and thence through portholes in the lead
housing, the portholes to close automat¬
ically after the pictures are taken, to
prevent entrance of radio-active waves.
Both the aircraft cameras, which range
in size up to the 70-pound Fairchild
navy type F-56 cameras with 40-inch
telephoto lenses, and the movie cameras,
in both 16- and 35-mm. sizes, will point
horizontally to the scene of the atom
bomb explosions.
The cameras will be operated by ra¬
dio from a distant ship.
Because of the intense heat that will
be generated by the atom bomb explo¬
sions, the cameras’ lenses will be covered
by heavy neutral density filters, which,
operated by photo cells, will move away
from the lenses to permit photography
an instant after the flash. If the lenses
were not protected they would let so
much heat through the cameras’ maga¬
zines that the film, even though non-
inflammable, might melt.
It is estimated that it may be several
weeks after a test before any human
can approach the cameras houses, as the
surrounding water is likely to be so
radio-activated.
134 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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CAMERA — Complete . $5,490.00
I Camera Case — Carrying
I Camera Accessory Carrying Case — consisting of !
matte box
1 Magazine belt tightener
2 Collapsible film spools
4 Bakelite film centers
I 1000' and I 400' magazine loading hooks
I Filter holder container with 9 double and 3 single
filter holders
I Oil can
I Pair pliers
I Screwdriver
I Bottle of camera lubricating oil — good for 80 below
zero
3 Camera belts— small, medium, large
I Camera portable power pack shoulder carrying strap
with 6 non-spillable storage batteries and 3 4-volt,
2 &-volt, I 12-volt outlets
SET OF LENSES— Complete . $1,420.00
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 50 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Balter 75 mm f 2.3 coated lens
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I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 152 mm f 2.7 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 35 mm f 2.3 coated lens
SOUND SYSTEM— Complete . $1,853.00
I Modulite Galvanometer
I Amplifier
1 Amplifier Carrying Case
2 Amplifier Accessory Carrying Cases
2 Camera power cables
2 50' microphone extension cables
2 Galvanometer Cables
2 Amplifier Power Cables
2 Sets of Earphones
4 Exciter Lamps
2 Microphones with cable, gooseneck and baffle
2 Microphone tripods
I Vibrator Pack with b non-spillable storage batteries
TRIPOD — Complete . $600.00
I Tripod (pan) handle
I Crank handle
I Baby tripod with carrying case and Hi-Hat
I Tripod with freehead and boot and saddle
I Triangle
I — Magazine carrying case with 2 1000'
magazines . $263.00
I — Magazine carrying case with 4 400'
magazines . $364.00
American Cinematographer • April, 1946 135
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Utah Cine Arts Club
Regular meeting of Utah Cine Arts
Club of Salt Lake City was held on
February 20th at Teamsters Hall, with
president T. R. Pope presiding. Film
program included : “America the Beau¬
tiful,” by LeRoy Hansen; “Crime Does
Not Pay,” loaned by the St. Loui3
Movie Club; and “Canyon Caravan,”
filmed by William Gibson and presented
by Jack Brennan. Latter is particularly
thrilling, dealing with a boat trip
through the most desolate section of the
United States, and down the Colorado
River from southeastern Utah to Mead
Lake.
Technical session, devoted to the sep¬
arate advantages by beaded, silvered
and dull white motion picture screen,
was conducted by A1 Morton, club’s tech¬
nical advisor, and vice president Pete
Larsen. Due to transfer of secretary
Lorraine Olsen out of town, treasurer
A1 Londema has assumed the secretarial
duties for the current year.
Westwood Movie Club
Regular monthly meeting of Westwood
Movie Club was held on March 1st in
St. Francis Community Hall, San Fran¬
cisco. Film program included: “A Sur¬
gical Adventure,” by Dr. I. C. Gobar;
“Rugged Capers,” by Eric Unmack; and
“The Good Earth,” by Donald Campbell.
G. Kenney of Ansco gave a demonstra¬
tion and talk on the new Ansco color
film.
President Fred Harvey announces the
following committee chairmen who will
function during the year: program,
Frank Boichot; membership, Mrs. Ray
Luck; technical, Eric Unmack; contest,
Dr. I. C. Gobar; publicity, Miss Edna
Spree; projection and sound, Ray Luck;
social, Mrs Henry Swanson.
Westwood is planning two exhibitions
of members’ amateur films for the gen¬
eral public — in May and September. Also
being lined up is a club dance.
L. A. Cinema Club Retains
Name — But —
Proposal to change the name of Los
Angeles Cinema Club to Hollywood
Cinema Club was defeated by member¬
ship in a mail ballot, with 60 per cent
voting to retain the original title. How¬
ever, on the basis of the vote, and the
arguments presented in favor of the
new name suggested, it was decided to
set up the Hollywood Society of Cinema
Artists within the structure of L. A.
Cinema Club as a compromise. As a re¬
sult, everybody’s happy!
By-laws are drawn up so that officers
of L. A. Cinema are ipso facto the
officers of the new inner group — which
has no separate officers, independent
meetings and no elections. Only mem¬
bers of L. A. Cinema are eligible to
join — are not automatically members of
the group — for which application must
be made and certain requirements met
for admission. One basic requirement is
that applicant must show some of his
work to prove that he is really an artist,
rather than just a cinematographic en¬
thusiast, and application must be scru¬
tinized carefully by the board of di¬
rectors.
Many members favoring the name
change have — and plan to — travel in
foreign countries, and advanced the
point that the name “Hollywood” carries
a magical ring in things photographic;
and a membership card with Hollywood
in the club name will be most impres¬
sive in the overseas travels and con¬
tacts. Actually, the group-within-the-
organization can be stated to include in
its roster, the top members of L. A.
Cinema who have proved their photo¬
graphic abilities in making various films.
Film program of the March 4th meet¬
ing, chairmaned by Bill Easley, included:
“Coral Isle,” by Harry C. Chapman;
“The Lost Art of Casting in Bronze,”
by Guy Nelli; and “Garden Gangsters,”
by Fred Ells.
1946 DINNER OF WESTWOOD MOVIE CLUB, SAN FRANCISCO
Metropolitan Club
Interesting program of amateur films
produced in various parts of the country
held the screen at the February 21st
meeting of Metropolitan Motion Picture
Club, New York. Pictures included:
“Reaping the Rain Drops,” by L. B.
Reed of Los Angeles; “Ten Pretty
Girls,” by Anchor O. Jensen of Seattle,
Wash.; “Home Movies,” by Fred Evans
of Sherman Oak, Calif.; and “Incident
From Life,” by Kendall T. Greenwood
of Billerica, Mass. Metropolitan’s novice
contest has been postponed until June,
with entries to be judged by entire mem¬
bership at the June 20th meeting. Prizes
of $50, $30, and $20 for the contest
have been donated by Harry Groedel.
Cinema Club San Francisco
Cinema Club of San Francisco held
regular monthly meeting on March 19th
at the Womens City Club, with film pro¬
gram including: “V-J Day,” by Adeline
Meinert; “Angels Are Made of Wood,”
Home Movies Library subject; “Golden
Gate Live Steamers Picnic,” by Larry
Duggan; and “Voorlezer’s House,” prize
winning film from Amateur Cinema
League. Member Lou Perrin presented
demonstration of General Electric’s
“sound-on-wire” recorder and repro¬
ducer.
Philadelphia Cinema Club
Frank Hirst was elected president of
the Philadelphia Cinema Club at meet¬
ing held in the Witherspoon Building on
March 12th. Other officers elected in¬
clude: Dr. Raymond Chambers, vice
president, Fred Warner, jr., secretary;
and Dr. Robert Haentze, treasurer. An
8 mm. kodachrome picture, “Along the
Conestoga Trail,” by Fred Warner, jr.,
highlighted the film program of the
meeting.
Los Angeles Eight
A most interesting discussion and ex¬
planation of interior lighting technique
by Glenn R. Kershner, A. S. C., fea¬
tured the March 12th meeting of the
Los Angeles 8mm. Club, held in the Bell
& Howell auditorium. In addition, mem¬
bers were treated to an unusual film
program of subjects.
Alhambra La Casa
Program for the March 18th meeting
of La Casa Movie Club of Alhambra,
Calif, was chairmaned by Roy E.
Wheeler,, and included the following
films: “Fisherman’s Dream,” (8mm.) by
D. A. Powell; “Isles of the Pacific,”
(8mm.) by L. B. Reed; “Laguna Coast,”
(35mm.) by Harry L. Hays; “Rose Pa¬
rade,” (35mm.) by Russell King; “A
Day at the Races,” (16mm.) courtesy
of Mr. Zeman; and “The Redwood Em¬
pire,” (16mm.) courtesy of R. L. Johns.
136 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Made with a standard lens.
Made with a 2J^-times telephoto.
Made with a 6-times telephoto.
Most Cine-Kodaks with the interchangeable-lens feature
will accept six of these fine, "fast" accessory lenses.
TeLEPHOTO lenses get you unflustered close-ups when
you want to stay well back . . . lift you to the side lines
when you can't move forward . . . magnify near-by
objects to screen-filling proportions. Wide-angle lenses
broaden your camera's view . . . frequently improve
perspective ... fit you to cover a wider picture when you
can't back up.
Beautifully made, checked time and again against
precise quality specifications during their progress
toward approval and release, most Cine-Kodak accessory
lenses are so "fast” you can easily use them indoors as
well as out. At Cine-Kodak dealers — in limited quantity
. . . lots more soon. Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester 4, N. Y.
Standard lens covered only the
area enclosed by the dotted line;
wide-angle lens "got it all."
American Cinematographer • April, 1946
137
after washing, in a 50% denatured
ethyl alcohol solution. I did not use
wood alcohol because of its reaction on
acetate base film. It would cause dis¬
coloration and shrinking. After this
bath in the proper solution I would
hang the film evenly on racks. Roll
film was weighted to prevent curling.
I would carefully sponge off excess
moisture, especially on roll film, taking
special pains not to leave any water
streaks.
“In developing glossy surface prints,
the low relative humidity would cause
prints to become brittle or curl. If a
ruler was used or prints pulled across
a sharp edge in a crude straightening
process, cracking would occur. To
soften prints I would set in a glycerin
solution (one part glycerin and three
parts water) for about 5 minutes. This
resulted in a more flexible print and
upon drying would receive a finer gloss.
“In adjusting my system of pro¬
cessing to the existing conditions it
took patience, trial upon trial and error
upon error. I persisted in developing
my own work because after each day’s
shooting I alone knew what conditions
I had operated under and could develop
accordingly.
“After my first hunting trek, specially
designed gloves, tripod and camera cov¬
erings were devised. The first time I
put my movie camera to my face, I
realized I had to have a covering. At
such low temperatures, the metal parts
became so cold that on contact with
warm flesh, the skin would ice-burn. A
seal skin covering made by the natives
was the solution. It was designed so as
not to hinder operations, to keep the
sand-like snow from sifting into the
mechanism, and to prevent condensing
of my breath on glass parts. I also
designed a pair of gloves made of un¬
born fawn skin with the fur turned
inward. My cotton gloves proved use¬
less. They afforded me no warmth and
were bulky. After my first day’s outing,
my hands were raw from ice burns and
they froze so badly the nails came off.
These special gloves had only thumb
and forefingers with the rest of the
hand enclosed in a mitten affair. They ,
were warm, thin and not overly bulky.
They provided insulation and allowed
for easy maneuvering. I wore them
under heavy reindeer-fur gauntlet mit¬
tens from which I removed my hands
only for short intervals to adjust or
handle equipment.
“However, even with these gloves I
was forced to rig up my Roliflex so I
could operate it more easily. I couldn’t
get a hold on the small snaps and knobs
with my gloves and couldn’t touch them
with bare fingers. I devised a handle for
the snap of cover of range finder. I
drilled a hole in either side of snap,
in which I secured a piece of bailing
wire. The aperture setting and cocking
levers were also rigged with enough
wire for easy operating. I drilled holes
in the sides of both the focusing knob
and crank and attached bent, arc-shaped
(Continued on Page 142)
Alaska Film Adventure
(Continued from Page 119)
day’s shooting I would rush into my
“homemade” darkroom — heat the “soup”
to about 68°F and then immerge the
cold film which had been subjected to
temperatures as low as 45 degrees below
freezing. I might as well have added
icicles for the immediate reaction was
a decrease in the solution temperature.
All the solutions were so effected, re¬
sulting in a lower rate of penetration
and a decreased reaction rate of fixing.
The period of time normally taken in
each step of the processing had to be
doubled and even redoubled. For ex¬
ample, the fixing time had to be doubled
for every 18°F decrease.
Because of the adverse lighting and
weather conditions under which most of
my scenes were shot, many times l
used a safe light to be assured of the
best results. My safe lights often times
were crude but not having electricity
I did with what I had. I would cut an
opening in the wall which connected
the darkroom and the living quarters.
A gas lamp, candle, or what ever I had
available was hung over the opening
on the other side and a filter placed
over the opening in the darkroom. Sim¬
ple but effective. Very seldom were my
results foggy.
“Many times I had neither fans nor
electricity at my disposal. My drying
apparatus consisted of makeshift drying
racks which were placed as near the
ceiling as possible. The temperature
near the ceiling afforded more even
drying. Differential drying would re¬
sult in streaked negatives. So that film
would dry more rapidly I would dip it,
AN OVERHEAD shot showing Loretta Young and David Niven in final dialog rehearsal before the cameras
roll on Paramount's "The Perfect Marriage." Director of Photography Russell Metty and director Lewis
Allen are seated behind the camera checking the proceedings.
138 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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• April, 1946
139
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International Styles in Cinematography
(Continued from Page 117)
position then another. As a result, the
picture was a tedious affair, with a
wealth of superb camerawork wasted
as an end in itself, rather than con¬
tributing to the overall impact of the
film.
The “reborn” French film industry is
just now hitting its stride — and the
first major release to play our local
theatres is a fine piece of work titled
“It Happened at the Inn” (“Goupi
Mains Rouges”). This film, released in
the United States by M-G-M — Interna¬
tional, combines the usual French dra¬
matic artistry with a much-improved
camera technique. The locales of the
film was very simple, rural settings —
and it would have been a temptation to
glamourize these relatively dull back¬
grounds. But the cinematographers on
the picture used a style of lighting and
camerawork that was in key with the
subject ai ■< which, at the same time,
went far bo ~>nd the starkly realistic
type of camera treatment that used to
characterize French films.
“It Happened at the Inn” is a smooth
film, technically speaking. It may well
be the keynote of the new French
cinema, in that it achieves a happy
medium between “art” and realism.
Mexico
The Mexican motion picture industry
has made great technical advances in
the relatively short time that it has been
established. Admittedly drawing know¬
ledge, technicians, and inspiration from
Hollywood, the studios south of the bor¬
der are at last evolving a cinematic
style embodying the technical finish of
American films plus a quality of artis¬
tic approach which is particularly their
own.
As an example, let us draw a com¬
parison between two of the better Mexi¬
can films — one made several years ago,
the other filmed quite recently.
When “La Dama de les Camellias”
was released some time back, it was
acclaimed by critics and audiences alike
as an artistic achievement. Mexican
reviewers took particular delight in
saying that this film was “as good as
anything ever produced in Hollywood”.
Whether or not this was actually the
case is of no consequence. The impor¬
tant fact is that this film succeeded in
copying and adapting the better Holly¬
wood camera techniques, the very ele¬
ments which (as we have said earlier)
go to make up a style that is typically
American. As a result, “La Dama de
las Camellias”, with its Hollywood ap¬
proach, appeared on the screen as a
very smooth film indeed. But it had
nothing of the rich personality of Mex¬
ico mixed with its celluloid. From the
purely technical aspect, it was a stylized
showpiece, nothing more.
The recent Mexican film which we
hold up in contrast is “Portrait of
Maria”, a superb bit of film-making
now being released in the United States
by M-G-M — International. This film,
photographed against the picturesque
background of Xochimilco, tells the sim¬
ple story of two peasants trying to live
peacefully in a community hostile to
them. The sets are almost painfully
simple — mostly exteriors with a few
adobe huts, a church, and the water-
traced foliage of the region in which
it is set. These simple elements the
cinematographer fashioned into a film
composition that is truly poetic. The
exteriors achieve a stunning realism —
not of a harshly documentary type, but
of a rich quality that may truthfully be
called rotogravure. This result is due
to the correct use of heavy filters, the
capable placement of reflectors, and
angles that enhance the natural pictor¬
ial quality of the backgrounds.
The interiors are similarly well-done.
The cinematographer used spots of
light, rim-lighting and low-key in a
skillful duplication of source illumina¬
tion. The result is artistic without being
“glamourous”, and again the accent is
on realism.
“Portrait of Maria” represents a
definite step forward for the Mexican
film industry. It embodies a skillful
blending of academic film technique
with the more abstract qualities of per¬
sonality that make our southern neigh¬
bors the warm, vibrant people that they
are.
Russia
Since the motion picture in Russia is
primarily an instrument of propaganda
and secondarily a medium of entertain¬
ment, its emphasis has always been on
the documentary approach. That em¬
phasis remains the same today.
Sergei Eisenstein and Igor Pudovkin,
Russia’s two top masters of the cinema,
have developed a style of adapting the
documentary approach to the fictional
photoplay in such a way as to tell a
story and at the same time provide a
basis for the introduction of social signif¬
icance. This technique is uniquely tail¬
ored to the tastes of Russian theatre¬
goers who expect to be propagandized
by their art forms.
It has resulted in a number of very
unusual films: “Potemkin”, “Ten Days
that Shook the World”, “Maxim Gorki”,
“Dr. Mamlock”, and “Alexander Nev¬
sky” — to mention a few. The photog¬
raphy in these films is so “realistic”
that it appears almost to be newsreel
footage. The spectator is led to believe
that he is witnessing actual occurances.
This even applied to Eisenstein’s stir¬
ring “Alexander Nevsky”, a filmniza-
tion of medieval warfare between Rus¬
sian and Teutonic knights.
In his most recent production, “Ivan
the Terrible,” Eisenstein attempted to
(Continued on Page 145)
140 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
"Without arcs- there is no photography"
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American Cinematographer • April, 1946
141
Alaska Adventure
(Continued from Page 138)
spikes which formed convenient han¬
dles. After so abusing my Roliflex, it
was a decrepid looking sight. But good
stills meant more to me at that time
and I had to resort to drastic measures.
“Another devise I was forced to rig
up was a chest tripod with camera
strap. As my main goal was to cap¬
ture authentic, realistic portrayals of
actual seal, whale and walrus hunts, I
had to have some system of steadying
the camera and carrying it on my per¬
son. When in a umiak (skin boat —
seats 9 or 10) skimming over rough
wafers, it was impossible to hold camera
steady without a brace. I needed a sys¬
tem whereby my camera would not be
damaged bouncing around and whereby
my hands and arms were free.
“On hunts I had to be on the alert
every moment for one never knew when
game we were seeking would appear
among the ice floe. This chest tripod
was a flat 6 inch square platform with
an adjustable arm completely covered
with seal skin. An attached strap (seal
skin) went around my neck and was
attached to another strap down my
back and around my waist. The tripod
in use rested high on my chest braced
by the movable arm with neck strap
holding it steady. When not in use it
would lie flat against my body. The
waist strap held my camera solid to my
stomach and relieved pressure from my
neck.
“When running over shore ice which
was broken up and sharp, it took all
muscles and co-ordination to keep up¬
right. One had to have complete free¬
dom of movement. I couldn’t employ
my arms to hold equipment. I even had
to learn how to throw my body when
I fell so as to protect my camera. If I
had not devised this ‘homemade’ inven¬
tion, my camera would have been dam¬
aged beyond repair, my film lost in the
drink and I’d probably have been ship¬
ped ‘outside’ in a driftwood box (pine
not available). I think the latter thought
motivated a hidden ingenuity.
“A few narrow escapes put me wise.
One time I found myself and equipment
floating out to sea on an independent
island of ice which had broken off from
the shore ice. If my native friend,
Tokeinna, had not yelled a warning in
time, the gap would have been too wide
for me to load up my loose equipment
and make the leap. Then and there I
formulated my tripod and carrying sys¬
tem.
“After a few days I had adjusted my
equipment and technique of shooting to
the existing conditions. Of the three
lenses I had, my 15mm F:2.5 proved to
be ideal. I didn’t have to bother with
focusing as long as I didn’t move in
closer than 10 feet to my subject. I
was never able in action shots to move
in closer than 10 feet because the Eski¬
mos have a wild way of weilding knives
when butchering their kill. Many times
I was knocked down, pushed or stepped
on by hunters too busy to watch out for
me. This lens proved satisfactory for
medium and distant shots. I could take
fast action and impromptu shots with
the assurance that everything would
be in focus and all I need worry about
was my aperture settings. I usually took
one standard light reading and then, on
forthcoming shots, was able to judge
light almost to an F : stop.
“At first I found my exposure meter
would not give me correct readings.
The extreme glare and unusual light
conditions which existed demanded a
meter with a light cover over the photo¬
electric cell. Also an acetinic ray which
exists in certain latitudes affected
readings. My meter normally takes in
a 30 degree angle of light and the 15mm
F:2.5 lens takes in a 30 degree angle.
I blotted over half of the photo-electric
cell with adhesive tape to cut down the
intake. I realized the use of an exposure
meter must be governed by experience
and judgment. It could only serve as a
guide.
“Often times on hunts when sudden
action occured, in my excitement I
failed to remove my rubber lens cap
which protected the lens from snow.
This seems to be a common tragic
failing with most photographers — ama¬
teurs and pros alike. I couldn’t afford
such negligence with such a small sup¬
ply of film. I attached a string to the
center of the cap, stretched it across
front of the view-finder and secured it
to the skin cover. On looking through
view-finder, the string would obstruct my
view and remind me to remove the
lens cap. Also with this attachment,
I need not carry caps in my pockets to
gather dirt or be lost.
“Special care must be taken in loading
and unloading motion picture camera
film. I found it a tough proposition.
Try changing film in sub-zero weather
with gloves on. It took patience and
lots of practice. Cold film should never
be brought into a warm room for
loading since moisture may condense
out of the air. If subjected to below
freezing temperature with condensation
on film, the condensation will freeze
causing film to stick and tear. At about
-20°F a possible loss of film speed of
approximately 50% may be anticipated.
However the various classes of film are
different at low temperatures and if
possible, test exposure should be made.
(When loading outdoors either the wind
would blow so hard it would practically
whip film from my hands, or the fine
snow would sift into open parts. To¬
keinna would make a shield with his
extra parka under which I’d load cam¬
era by the blind “feel and peek” method.
Until I became adept at loading with
gloves on, I used my bare hands, for
it is an exacting and intricate process.
My warm, moist hands on contact with
cold film gate would form a thin sheet
of ice. I carried wooden matches con-
(Continued on Page 148)
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142 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer ® April, 1946
143
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Current Assignments
of A.S.C. Members
As this issue of American Cinema¬
tographer goes to press, A. S. C. Direc¬
tors of Photography are assigned to the
following feature productions currently
shooting in the various Hollywood stu¬
dios :
Columbia Studios
Joseph Walker, “The A1 Jolson Story,”
Technicolor.
Burnett Guffey, “Gallant Journey,”
with Glenn Ford, Janet Blair, Henry
Travers, Charles Ruggles.
George Meehan, Jr., “Power of Attor¬
ney,” with Forrest Tucker, Lynn Mer¬
rick.
Phil Tannura, “The Return of Rusty,”
with Ted Donaldson, Mark Dennis.
Rudy Mate, “Down to Earth,” Tech¬
nicolor, with Rita Hayworth, Larry
Parks, Marc Platt, Edward Everett Hor¬
ton, James Gleason.
Henry Freulich, “The Coffin,” with
Karen Morley, Jim Bannon.
Charles Lawton, Jr., “Blondie Knows
Best,” with Penny Singleton, Arthur
Lake, Danny Mummert.
International Pictures
Milton Krasner, “The Dark Mirror,”
starring Olivia de Havilland, Lew Ayres,
Thomas Mitchell.
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer
Charles Rosher, “Fiesta,” Technicolor,
with Esther Williams and John Carroll.
Harry Stradling, “Till the Clouds Roll
By,” Technicolor, with Judy Garland,
Robert Walker, Frank Sinatra.
Karl Freund, “You Were There,”
starring Katherine Hepburn and Robert
Taylor.
Robert Planck, “The Show-Off,” with
Red Skelton, Marian Maxwell, Marjorie
Main.
Robert Surtess, “Tenth Avenue An¬
gel,” with Margaret O’Brien, Phyliss
Thaxter, George Murphy.
Harold Rosson, “My Brother Who
Talked to Horses,” Peter Lawford, Bev¬
erly Tyler, Butch Jenkins.
Joe Ruttenberg, “A Woman of My
Own,” starring Greer Garson and Robert
Montgomery.
Monogram
Ira Morgan, “Freddie Steps Out,” with
Freddie Stewart, June Preisser, Frankie
Darro, Jackie Moran.
William Sickner, “Corpus Delicti,”
with Sidney Toler, Sen Yung, Tanis
Chandler.
Harry Neumann, Untitled Cisco Kid
feature, starring Gilbert Roland.
United Artists
James Van Trees, “Angel On My
Shoulder” (Premier Prod.), with Paul
Muni, Anne Baxter, Claude Rains, Ons¬
low Stevens.
Karl Struss, “Mr. Ace and the Queen”
(Tivoli Prod.), with George Raft, Sylvia
Sidney, Sid Silvers.
Theodor Sparkuhl, “The Bachelor’s
Daughters” (Andrew Stone Prod.), with
Gail Russell, Claire Trevor, Ann Dvorak,
Adolphe Menjou, Billie Burke.
(Continued on Page 146)
144 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
International Styles
( Continue d from Page 140)
“go Hollywood” — and the result was
somewhat unfortunate. While the cam¬
erawork in this film is smooth and at
times quite striking, the usual force of
Russian approach is missing. A weak
compromise was made between stun¬
ningly-lit compositions and the more
frankly virile style that we have come
to associate with Russian cinema.
With their command of the documen¬
tary approach, it was second nature for
Russian cinematographers to produce
grimly realistic film records of the war.
So adept are the Russians in applying
this style of film-making, that it is dif¬
ficult to tell where fact leaves off and
fiction begins. They are masters in
their own field.
In Other Lands
Several nations with smaller film in¬
dustries have in the past, and will in the
future contribute much to the fund of
outstanding foreign films.
Switzerland has taken the first step
in sending us its top-notch production,
“The Last Chance,” another local M-G-M
— International release. The quality of
cinematography in this film is first-rate.
Photographed mainly in actual locales,
it has an atmosphere of complete authen¬
ticity: the night scenes, for instance,
really look as if they were shot at night;
the blizzard in the mountain is a real
blizzard, not bleached corn flakes and
wind machines. The camerawork is
straightforward, with only occasional
lapses into “arty” moods, such as when
the cinematographer could not resist the
temptation to shoot a sequence through
banks of waving weeds.
Czechoslovakia has in the past shown
signs of establishing a place for itself
cinematically. Some years ago in Prague,
a film was made titled “Sympathy of
Love.” It was extremely artistic, fairly
bursting with symbolism, and utilized
some really beautiful camera approaches.
The film carted off all of the interna¬
tional cinema awards for that year and
was embraced by all of Europe as an
artistic triumph. That same picture was
later released in this country under
the sensational title, “Ecstacy” — and
achieved fame amounting to notoriety
chiefly because of its nude bathing
scenes. The symbolism was completely
lost on American audiences — but a young
lady splashing about au nature l was
something they could readily appreciate.
Seriously speaking, though, Czech film
producers have always revealed a real
flair for cinematic style, and it is hoped
that we may see more of their outstand¬
ing films over here in the future.
The Swedish film industry, also, has
shown real promise in the past years.
Films such as the original version of
“Intermezzo” revealed a cinematic style
style that smoothly blended the nuances
of gentle beauty with the fire of dra¬
matic situations. The better Swedish
films will deserve wider circulation in
America.
In these days when understanding of
our world neighbors is so vital, the inter¬
national cinema can become a potent
medium of orientation. It is encourag¬
ing to note that foreign countries are
putting the best they have into their
films. This means that we may look for¬
ward to more and better foreign films,
as well as a more harmonious under¬
standing between nations.
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American Cinematographer • April, 1946
145
Whenever Baby invites a picture —
movie or still — make sure you get it
. . . with the new, improved G-E ex¬
posure meter to guide your camera.
GENERAL © ELECTRIC
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Current Assignments
of AS.C. Members
(Continued from Page 144)
Universal Studios
Hal Mohr, “Fandango,” Technicolor,
with Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy,
Jean Pierre Aumont, Eve Arden.
Joseph Valentine, “Lesson in Love,”
with George Brent, Lucille Ball, Vera
Zorina, Charles Winninger.
Charles Van Enger, “The Ghost Steps
Out,” starring Bud Abbott and Lou Cos-
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tello, with Marjorie Reynolds, Binnie
Barnes.
Paul Ivano, “Kelly Is My Name,” with
Phil Terry, Ann Savage, Allen Jenkins.
George Robinson, “The Runaround,”
with Rod Cameron, Ella Raines, Brod¬
erick Crawford, Frank McHugh.
Warner Brothers
Ernest Haller, “Humoresque,” star¬
ring Joan Crawford and John Garfield,
with Oscar Levant, Ruth Nelson, J. Car-
roll Naish.
James Wong Howe, “The Sentence,”
starring Ann Sheridan, with Kent Smith,
Robert Alda, Bruce Bennett.
Ted McCord, “A Very Rich Man,”
with Sydney Greenstreet, Martha Vick¬
ers, Dane Clark, Alan Hale.
Sol Polito, “Cloak and Dagger” (Unit¬
ed States Pictures), starring Gary Coop¬
er, with Lilli Palmer, James Flavin.
Sid Hickox, “Cheyenne,” with Dennis
Morgan, Jane Wyman, Bruce Bennett,
Panis Paige.
Paramount
Lionel Linden, “0. S. S.,” with Alan
Ladd, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Patric
Knowles.
Daniel Fapp, “Suddenly It’s Spring,”
starring Fred MacMurray and Paulette
Goddard.
Ray Rennahan, “Perils of Pauline,”
Technicolor, starring Betty Hutton, with
John Lund, William Demarest, Billy De
Wolfe, Constance Collier.
William Meljor, “Welcome Stranger,”
starring Bing Crosby with Barry Fitz¬
gerald and Joan Caulfield.
Jack Greenhalgh, “Seven Were Saved,”
(Pine-Thomas Prod.) with Richard Den¬
ning, Catherine Craig, Russell Hayden.
20th Century-Fox
Charles Clarke, “Margie,” Technicolor,
with Jeanne Crain, Alan Young, Glenn
Langan, Lynn Bari, Hatty McDaniels,
Esther Dale.
Joseph La Shelle, “Claudia and David,”
with Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young,
John Sutton, Rose Hobart, Gail Patrick,
Harry Davenport.
Leon Shamroy, “Forever Amber,”
Technicolor, with Peggy Cummins, Cor¬
nel Wilde, Vincent Price.
John Seitz, “Home Sweet Homicide,”
(Continued on Next Page)
146 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
with Lynn Bari, Randolph Scott, Peggy
Ann Garner, Allyn Joslyn.
Arthur Miller, “The Razor’s Edge,”
with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John
Payne, Herbert Marshall, Anne Revere.
Frank Redman, “Criminal Court,”
with Tom Conway, Martha O’Driscoll,
Robert Armstrong, June Clayworth.
Nick Musuraca, “What Nancy Want¬
ed,” with Laraine Day, Brian Aherne,
Robert Mitchum, Fay Helm.
Edward Cronjager, “Honeymoon,”
with Shirley Temple, Guy Madison,
Franchot Tone.
RKO Studios
Leo Tover, “Desirable Woman,” with
Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan, Charles
Bickford, Virginia Huston.
Roy Hunt, “A Likely Story,” with
Bill Williams, Barbara Hale.
George Barnes, “Sinbad the Sailor,”
Technicolor, with Douglas Fairbanks,
Jr., Maureen O’Hara, Walter Slezak.
Jack MacKenzie, “Child of Divorce,”
with Sharyn Moffett, Regis Toomey,
Madge Meredith, Walter Reed.
Telefilm Establishes Four
Race-Filming Units
Telefilm Control method of photo¬
graphing horse races via 16mm. is rap¬
idly being adapted by virtually all the
major tracks in the United States; fol¬
lowing successful operations at the Hol¬
lywood Park and Santa Anita tracks
in the Los Angeles area. To service al¬
ready signed for Telefilm Control turn¬
ings, president Joseph A. Thomas an¬
nounces that the company is organizing
four crews of 15 men each for routing
to the various race meets.
MGM Foreign 16mm. Reps
Get Ampro Training
Foreign representatives of Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer who will have supervi¬
sion of 16 mm. expansion of that com¬
pany in their respective countries, are
being put through an intensive course
of training at the Ampro plant in Chi¬
cago. In addition to obtaining details of
the manufacture of 16 mm. sound pro¬
jectors at Ampro and other factories
making such equipment, the MGM rep¬
resentatives become familiar with servic¬
ing and repair of such equipment, and
are taught the requisites of the best 16
mm. projection techniques.
Hines Heads Telefilm Still
Dept.
Harvey S. Hines has been appointed
head of still department of Telefilm Stu¬
dios, replacing Charles Lane who held
the post the past 18 months.
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American Cinematographer • April, 1946
147
Alaska Adventure
(Continued from Page 142)
stantly to scrape this off and to dislodge
any celluloid residue which would
scratch the film.) These precautions
must be heeded to obtain perfect re¬
sults.
“However, there was one rule I
couldn’t adhere to. When loading or un¬
loading film under normal or subdued
light, a photographer should always al-
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low a film waste of 4 to 6 feet at both
ends of film roll. There were times
when I had to load and unload without
any “improvised” loading bags and with
the extreme light and glare, I operated
under, I should have allowed a waste
of 8 to 10 feet. But I had to utilize
every foot of film in my limited and
dwindling supply. Also, invariably un¬
usual and dramatic action seemed to
occur just at the time my roll was al¬
most shot up. I couldn’t let these ‘never
to be repeated scenes’ pass so I would
keep shooting. As a result, some scenes
in my picture have the red fog from
light seepage, but I had no choice as
I couldn’t alter existing conditions.
“In these adjusting processes, the
phases of which I’ve outlined, a few of
my scenes were over and under shot.
As I am a “4 W pro” myself, I knew
what the outcome would be. Being un¬
able to take repeat shots and test ex¬
posures, I had to be content with the
results.
“My advice to photographers who
have a yen for seeking unusual sub¬
ject matter in unknown, far away lands
would be:
‘Take plenty of time and thought in
the selection of your equipment, keeping
in mind the conditions under which you
will be operating.’
‘Complete a thorough research of ex¬
isting conditions beforehand, so as to
prepare equipment accordingly.’
‘Unanticipated conditions will arise
that may stump you and the standard
rules of photography cannot be em¬
ployed. You can find a solution no mat¬
ter how crude, even if it means abusing
your camera. You’re after a picture.
Get it.’
The photography in Mr. Shankel’s
picture has been termed by profes¬
sionals as “excellent”. He is a pioneer
in photography under primitive condi¬
tions. No risk was too great and no
obstacle unsurmountable in the attaining
of his picture. It is of high educational
value — as well as entertaining.
He is well versed on Eskimo psycho¬
logy and can be spoken of as a humani¬
tarian. During the year he lived among
the Eskimos, he gradually was accepted
as one of them. He understands and
respects these people. His lectures en¬
lighten and erase misconstruities for¬
mulated by false propaganda.
CAMERA SUPPLY COMPANY
ART REEVES
1515 North Cahuenga Boulevard
HOLLYWOOD Cable Address — Cameras CALIFORNIA
Efficient-Courteous Service New and Used Equipment
Bought — Sold — Rented
Everything Photographic Professional and Amateur
An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals always in stock.
China's Wartime Films
(Continued from Page 120)
well known stars in dramatic plots.
The difference was that in China, the
primary audience was the soldiers in the
field — to be reached by mobile projection
units in the field — and the people in the
villages who either were guerilla
fighters at the particular moment, or
might need to take up their rifles and
knives at any moment. In fighting
China, there were virtually no civilians,
and the Army’s dramatized propaganda
films played a vital role in maintaining
morale, stimulating patriotism, and uni¬
fying the many sectional peoples of
China into the National effort.
Refuge During Bomb Raids
Stars, directors, technicians and lab¬
orers all lived and worked together in
the Chungking studio. Deep tunnels
Han Chung-lang climaxed his wartime adventures by
being the only Chinese Government photographer
to cover the Jap surrender on the Missouri.
were dug into the rock of the hill and
when the warning was received that
Jap bombers were coming, every in¬
dividual in the studio was responsible
for carrying some specific piece of equip¬
ment into the shelter. Tons of precious
negatives, studio records, chemicals, and
other supplies — in addition to the
studio’s small hoard of raw stock, for
instance — were packed into bamboo bas¬
kets and carried into the tunnels during
every raid. The tunnels were wet and
could only be maintained by constant
pumping, so they could not be used for
permanent storage of equipment and
supplies.
The sharing of danger and hardships,
and the necessity of dividing up the
meager food and clothing available,
brought about a very practical democ¬
racy in the studio. All the buildings
were used also as dormitories; and at
one time upwards of a thousand men,
148 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
/ want to buy your
• Contax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
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women, and children were living and
working in an area equivalent to about
two American city blocks in the Chung¬
king studio.
Jap Prisoners For Heavies
Cooperative effort had a rather
amusing sidelight in the case of the
Japanese prisoners. In Hollywood, films
produced during the war, the necessary
Japanese characters were impersonated
by players ranging in race from Chinese
to Norwegian. But for the Chinese
soldier audiences, only Japanese soldiers
would be convincing and acceptable in
enemy roles. So the studio arranged to
take over 100 Jap prisoners who had
voluntarily surrendered or had become
Chang Chien-tai, whose camera recorded two high¬
lights of the China-Jap war — Chinese victory at Tai
Ur Chuang in 1938 and the final Jap surrender to
the Chinese Central Government at Chihking.
converted to the Chinese viewpoint.
These former enemy soldiers were then
used in all closeup scenes of Jap com¬
bat.
They were given a substantial degree
of freedom, helped with all the studio
chores like the rest of the cast and
crew, and took a tremendous pride in
their work — portraying the ferocity of
the Japanese invaders with such realism
that the Chinese director often had to
tone down the scenes. Near the end
of the war, when the prisoner detach¬
ment was sent back to its concentration
camp, a number of them filed applica¬
tions for postwar employment in the
Chinese studio.
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BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • April, 1946 149
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 115)
era to his heart’s content, bring his own
photographic plates, take the picture
himself, and even do his own developing.
All this adds up to a most imposing ar¬
ray of precautions againsth the possi¬
bility of trickery, but trickery is perpe¬
trated nevertheless.
When Conan Doyle was the subject
the pictures had the image of his son on
them. And the images were perfect! He
was delighted.
“But I’ve tricked you,” Jerry told him.
“That’s impossible!” Conan Doyle re¬
torted. And Jerry never was able to
convince the man that the so called
spirit images were nothing but a clever
trick photographer’s best trick. So
anxious was Doyle to believe that he re¬
fused all the evidence to the contrary
and attributed Jerry’s desire to en¬
lighten him as mediumistic modesty.
How does Jerry do it? By using a well
known principle of photography. That’s
all he had told any man — except the late
Houdini.
Houdini was let in on the secret when
that great magician was heading the
Scientific American Expose Committee
against fraudulent spiritualism. In his
desire to safeguard a gullible and fre¬
quently grieving section of the public
he wanted Jerry to permit him to ex¬
pose the working of his camera in the
public print. But Jerry said “No.” He
felt that advertising the way to do it
would only put the tools of fraud into
more hands. And anyway, no good magi¬
cian gives away his best trick.
It is interesting to listen to the “be¬
hind-the-scenes” stories of magicians,
and revealing to hear about the amazing
ingenuity displayed by the master illu¬
sionists in inventing a trick and the
tremendous patience they exhibit in
learning to present it adroitly. No field
of science is immune to their investiga¬
tion and their research has sometimes
anticipated the public knowledge of sci¬
entific principles; as for example the use
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of induction phones by a famous mind¬
reading act before the acceptance of
radio.
Who has, or who had, the greatest
magic act? Jerry can’t decide, but he’ll
give you the highlights of them all. And
he speaks with a reverent tone when he
recalls Rameses, Herman the Great, Hor¬
ace Golden, Selbit, De Beer and Cardini.
The mental acts, of course, interest
him most, so we ventured to ask what
he thought of Dunninger. “A great show¬
man!” he replied. Yes. But a telepathist?
“Absolutely not!” And that’s from an
expert. So, if you get into a discussion
with your friends it might be a hook on
which to hang an argument.
Jerry thinks one of the most enter¬
taining mental acts was performed by
Jimmy Eyester, who now confines his
magic to hospital wards and to doing the
neat trick of finding rooms for visitors
to the Oakland hotel he successfully
manages.
Because the work of Jerry Ash as a
cameraman is so well known, we may
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EDITOR: 16mm. , EXPERIENCED IN SOUND
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perhaps be forgiven for this deviation
from the usual format by reporting this
lesser known accomplishment. At Uni¬
versal Studios, where he has been since
1915 — and this might very well consti¬
tute a record of continuous employment
for a cameraman — he is now in the Spe¬
cial Effects Department; having, through
the years of growth of the motion pic¬
ture industry, lensed everything from
slap-stick comedies to the big features.
When the “King of Jazz” was made
Jerry did what is perhaps the first trick
work with a Technicolor camera. His cur¬
rent assignment, “The Ghost Steps Out,”
which has Charles Van Enger, A.S.C.,
as production cameraman, promises to
reach the ultimate in trick photography
in Technicolor. Fifty per cent of this pic¬
ture will consist of trick work, on which
Jerry is engaged under the able direc¬
tion of Stanley Horsley, A.S.C., head of
Universal’s special effects department.
It looks like a perfect opportunity for a
master of the two arts to turn in a prize¬
winning performance. It looks like per¬
fect casting.
+ HELP YOUR RED CROSS Carry On +
150 April, 1946 • American Cinematographer
REALISTIC NIGHT SCENES— in
sunlight with a suitable filter — as
well as other spectacular effects are
‘'routine” for Eastman Infrared
Negative Film, one of the family of
Eastman Films, favorites of the in¬
dustry for more than fifty years.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
Both of these scenes were made in daytime
— the larger on Eastman Infrared Film.
EASTMAN
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NEGATIVE.. . for dramatic effects
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In This Issue .
20th ANNIVERSARY
OF SOUND FILMS
MAY
1946
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VOL. 27
MAY. 1946
NO. 5
CONTENTS
©
Aces of the Camera (Robert Pittack, A. S. C.) . . . .By W. G. C. Bosco 159
Psychology and the Screen . By Herb A. Lightman 160
World-Wide Celebration of 20th Anniversary of Sound Films . 162
Survey of Current Process of Color Kinematography in England
By Jack H. Coote, F. R. P. S. 164
Through the Editor’s Finder . 166
Soviet’s “The Great Turning Point” . 170
Among the Movie Clubs . 172
“Surveying the 16mm. Sound Film Supply”. .. .By James R. Oswald 174
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members . 180
ON THE FRONT COVER John Garfield and Joan Crawford go through
final rehearsal for scene in Warner Brothers production of “Humoresque.”
Director Jean Negulesco in checked shirt (center), and Director Pho¬
tography Ernest Haller in light suit beside camera make their final checks
before the cameras roll.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Charles Clarke, First Vice-President Joseph Walker, Second Vice-President
Arthur Edeson, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
George Folsey, Sergeant-at-Arms
John Arnold Byron Haskin John Seitz
John Boyle Sol Polito Leon Shamroy
Lee Garmes William Skall
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse. A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A- S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff. A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices:
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year : Canada, $2.75
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, 25c ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 35e,
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1945 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postofflce at Los Angeles, California, undez
the act of March 3, 1879.
156 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
66
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Engineered in the Mitchell tradition,
the BNC camera is a product of the
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trusted with the job of putting this dis¬
tinguished production on film, Robert
Pittack, A. S. C.
Bob Pittack considers it a stroke of
great good fortune to have been chosen
by Preston Sturges to film that worthy’s
first independent production, and he
looks back upon this recent experience
as one of the highlights of his career
as a cameraman.
It was inspirational, he says, to work
with two men of such consummate skill;
one directing, with deft touches, the
sparkling dialogue and clever situations
in a script he himself wrote and of a
type he has already made famous; the
other, an acknowledged master of com¬
edy in all its ramifications, contributing
prodigiously from his vast experience.
It is a pleasure, Bob goes on to say,
to work with a director like Sturges. His
attention to camera detail is enormous
and he has a highly developed under¬
standing of the cinematic medium. He
knows exactly what he wants and will
go to any amount of trouble to get it.
When “The Sin of Harold Diddlebock”
hits the screens, Bob is sure that it will
permanently establish the brilliant and
versatile Sturges as one of the indispu¬
tably talented writer-producer-directors
of this era, and re-establish the one and
only Harold Lloyd with his old public as
well as with a new generation of movie¬
goers to whom the name of the famous
comedian is only a legend.
Mr. Sturges, who “knows what he
wants,” showed excellent judgment in
selecting a cameraman with the patience
for taking infinite pains, of great tech-
ical skill based on a clear understanding
of his job, and with a sincere approach
to his work; a man whose background
reflects the experience of 27 years of
movie-making.
This experience began in 1919 when
Bob Pittack first came to Hollywood. He
was on a visit from Seattle at the time
and had no intention of staying. But he
owned a car, and someone offered him a
job as an assistant cameraman.
It wasn’t everyone who had a car in
those days, and the possession of one
by Bob made him a most desirable
camera assistant. Universal grabbed him
and his car and put him to work under
Bill Edmonds. With a salary of $20.00
per week and rental for his car Bob
was probably the highest paid assistant
cameraman in Hollywood at the time.
Bob decided he liked the picture busi¬
ness. When Edmonds left Universal to
go to work for Robertson and Cole at the
Lois Weber Studios at Santa Monica
Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, Bob
went with him. Under that banner they
photographed Pauline Frederick’s star¬
ring vehicles.
But it was on his next move, to Fa-
mous-Players-Lasky, that he began to
get the intensive training which is the
necessary background for all those who
would become Aces of the Camera.
At Famous-Players-Lasky Bob came
under the supervision of Karl Brown, a
(Continued on Page 183)
AS THIS is written the finishing
touches are being put to a mo¬
tion picture that all Hollywood
is eagerly waiting to see. It is a picture
that has received very little advance
publicity, and, amidst the welter of press
releases turned out to whet the collective
appetite for the usual celluloid offerings,
has progressed through several months
of shooting and editing unheralded and
almost unnoticed.
The reason Hollywood has cocked an
eye in pleasurable anticipation at this
particular film is that it represents the
efforts, for the first time as writer-pro¬
ducer-director, as one whom many be¬
lieved to be touched by genius; and stars
one of filmdom’s fabulous personalities
of an earlier era, a man who made mo¬
tion picture history; and who has chosen
this particular vehicle to stage a come¬
back.
The title of the picture, “The Sin of
Harold Diddlebock”; written, produced
and directed by Preston Sturges. The
star, Harold Lloyd. And the man en-
ACES of the CAMERA
ROBERT PITTACK, A. S . C.
By W. C. C. BOCO
American Cinematographer • May, 1946
159
PSYCHOLOGY and the SCREEN
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
WE are prone to think of film pro¬
duction as a blending of mechan¬
ical and creative arts. It is sure¬
ly all of that, but there is something
more that goes into the making of a suc¬
cessful film — an intangible essence that
reaches out to filmgoers and makes them
laugh or cry, cheer the hero, hiss the vil¬
lain ( sub -consciously , at least). It is
something you cannot put your finger on,
but it must be present if an audience is
to react appreciatively to a motion pic¬
ture. This abstract force is based upon
an understanding of people and their ac¬
tions, how they think and react, why
they do what they do. We have come to
know it by the name psychology.
Once a step-child in the realm of
pseudo-science, psychology has in this
century reached scientific maturity and
has incidentally become an integral ele¬
ment of motion picture-making. Star
names, smooth production, lavish sets
are no longer sufficient to guarantee the
success of a film. The novelty of lavish¬
ness has worn thin, and producers now
realize that they must give an audience
something it can “sink its teeth into,” a
story of substantial fabric based on
sound psychology. This is especially sig¬
nificant in view of the fact that film
audiences, especially in America, do not
go to motion picture theaters to think.
Rather, they go with the expectation of
taking part in a vicarious emotional ex¬
perience. As a result, our cinema ap¬
peals not to the intellect, but to the
emotions.
Film production consists of many var¬
ied elements: script, camera, direction,
sound, music, editing, etc. We may vis¬
ualize the film itself as a symphony with
all of these elements as instruments
playing together to produce a harmoni¬
ous dramatic pattern, and balanced to
extract certain empathic responses from
the audience. The point of balance is
often exceedingly fine. Sometimes in the
midst of a tensely dramatic scene an au¬
dience will begin to laugh for no appar¬
ent reason. This inappropriate reaction
can always be traced to faulty psychol¬
ogy in some phase of production. That
is why intelligent (and successful) pro¬
ducers now plan their productions with
careful attention to correct psychologi¬
cal approach.
Psychology applied to the screen acts
as a kind of “sixth sense.” The audience
should react to it without being con¬
scious of the machinery behind the
scenes. Also, if too frequently used, psy¬
chological touches tend to lose their ef¬
fectiveness. “Citizen Kane,” directed by
Orson Welles and strikingly photo¬
graphed by Gregg Toland, A. S. C., is
technically one of the finest pictures ever
made. Violating all rules of cinematic
convention, it introduced many original
techniques to the screen and leaned heav¬
ily on psychological approaches to gain
audience reaction. However, there were
sequences when too many of these de¬
vices were used at the same time, vieing
for audience-attention in such a way as
to cloud the dramatic issues presented.
Too much of a good thing weakened the
impact of an otherwise masterful film.
Association of ideas plays an impor¬
tant part in stimulating audience reac¬
tion. Each member of an audience will
tend to associate certain phases of the
photoplay with episodes out of his own
experience, and will then accept the vari¬
ous ideas and stimuli that follow, react¬
ing to them and experiencing a state of
suspense concerning the outcome of sepa¬
rate sequences and the film as a whole.
Most really effective films are con¬
ceived in an overall key that applies to
all phases of production, thus achieving
“mood” that is unified and consistent. In
“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” every me¬
chanical and dramatic technique was
keyed to present a picture of harshly
realistic tenement poverty softened by
family affection. The camera treatment
bordered on the documentary, direction
and action were kept simple, and the set¬
tings were authentically “Brooklyn” —
not merely a designer’s version of what
Brooklyn must be like.
It is the sustaining of strong mood
that holds an audience firmly in grasp
and leads it to accept a pattern of facts
which, if presented singly, would not be
credible. Generally inept handling of
these values in the past has resulted in
a common American aversion to motion
picture themes based on fantasy. And
yet, Americans are basically an imagi-
"The Stranger" makes excellent use of silhouette and shadow in maintaining deep psychological mood. The
film is also notable for its kinetic application of sound to the visual image.
160 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
native people and will accept well-pre¬
sented fantasy of the type featured in
“On Borrowed Time” and “All That
Money Can Buy.” Both of these films
had allegorical themes. The first person¬
ified Death in the form of a mild-man¬
nered but insistent gentleman known as
“Mr. Brink”; the second represented the
Devil as a rustic tongue-in-cheek rogue
named “Mr. Scratch.” Both characters
were believable, and both films were
highly entertaining because mood and
key had been carefully established to ap¬
peal psychologically to the audience’s
imagination.
Cinematic symbolism is a psychological
device that is most generally wasted on
American audiences. European film-mak¬
ers delight in showing wind-swept fields
and flashes of lightning to symbolize
clashes of emotion. It has become a
cliche to show waves dashing against a
rocky shore in order to represent the re¬
lease of human passions. Such symbol¬
ism is either too farfetched or downright
melodramatic and American audiences
much prefer the more direct approach.
However, symbolism has been used in a
few cases with potent effect. In “The
Letter,” for instance, the murderous ten¬
sion of the main character was symbol¬
ized by repeatedly intercutting a striking
shot of a full, evil tropic moon soaring
through ominous clouds.
The current cycle of films based on
psychological themes has brought the
subject itself very much to the fore.
“Spellbound,” one of the better pictures
that has been made on the subject, owes
its success as absorbingly adult enter¬
tainment to the fine teamwork of a set
of unusually talented creative techni¬
cians. Producer David O. Selznick,
scenarist Ben Hecht, director Alfred
Hitchcock, and cinematographer George
Barnes, A.S.C., all worked together in
the same key to produce a highly artistic
and thrilling motion picture. “The Sev¬
enth Veil,” a British film, based on
psychoanalysis also shows superb han¬
dling of this abstract subject.
We have compared the motion pic¬
ture to a symphony, and in keeping with
this simile the shooting script becomes a
score or orchestration, as well as a work¬
ing blueprint of the psychology to be
used in interpreting the story — for it is
in the script that the little “touches”
originate, the subtleties to which an
audience reacts. Human struggle or
conflict is one of the requisites of an ef¬
fective script. Even a comedy screenplay
involves certain set-backs and clashes
between protagonist and antagonist, be¬
cause without this element the screen
story would lack force and an audience
would soon tire of a series of events un¬
folding too smoothly. Conflict may not
necessarily be between man and man. On
the contrary, several outstanding films
(“The Hurricane,” “San Francisco,”
etc.) have been based on struggle be¬
tween man and the elements. Occasion¬
ally, as in the film “Gilda,” a character
even battles it out with his own con¬
science. But struggle amounting to
dramatic conflict, no matter what form
it may take, is one of the essential fac¬
tors in stimulating audience reaction.
Due to a mental process known to
psychologists as projection, members of
an audience tend to project themselves
imaginatively into situations portrayed
on the screen, even identifying them¬
selves with specific characters. This
mental process works in favor of the
film-maker whose object, as we have
pointed out, is to draw an emphatic re¬
sponse from the audience. Working on
this premise, then — if, in addition to the
plot action in the film, scenes are inter¬
cut showing the reactions of various
characters to that action, the audience
will tend to react in the same way and
will be drawn more closely into the
mood of the story. Therefore reaction
shots are a valuable scenario device.
The technician most responsible for
psychology applied or misapplied to the
motion picture is, of course, the direc¬
tor. He is the conductor of our cine¬
matic symphony. He is the one respon¬
sible for the careful blending of all the
elements that go to make up the produc¬
tion. Certain directors, such as William
Wyler, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, and
Billy Wilder, are especially adept at ap¬
plying psychology to film. They seem to
know how and when to “hit” an audi¬
ence. Hitchcock, especially, has the
emotion of suspense down to a science.
He knows how to build up a situation and
just how long to hold his audience on
tenterhooks before releasing a crashing
climax. He knows how to apply little
psychological tricks so that the audi¬
ence-mind will not stray from the action
of the film.
Directors who are most skillful in the
use of psychological approach invariably
stage action with a good deal of re¬
straint, realizing that (having been
given the proper stimulus) an audi¬
ence’s imagination will fill in emotional
details more powerful than any that
could possibly be presented on a sound
stage. This psychology carries over to
the players as well. Most of the truly
great individual dramatic performances
on the screen have been underplayed
(Continued on Page 178)
"Spellbound," based on a psychological theme, is an example of perfect technical teamwork, with every element
of production psychologically slanted in the same key.
American Cinematographer • May, 1946
161
World-Wide Celebration Planned On
20th Anniversary of Sound Films
responsible for the development of talk¬
ing picture equipment and techniques
now in international use.
Special Programs Honoring Scientists
Series of special programs, designed
to focus attention on the importance of
scientific development and cultural con¬
tribution of the talking films, and to
honor the scientists who pioneered in
the field, will continue on an interna¬
tional scale through the summer. Spe¬
cial ceremonies, both in the United
States and abroad, will commemorate
the important pioneering experiments
by science and industry, and will high¬
light the contribution of the sound mo¬
tion picture during the past two dec¬
ades in the fields of entertainment, pub¬
lic service, and education. Culmination
of the anniversary celebration on Aug¬
ust 6th will finish with local celebrations
in key cities of the United States, Can¬
ada, England, Australia, Latin and
South America, South Africa, and all
other countries where American motion
pictures are now being shown.
Special Exhibits Planned
Among the events now being arranged
by Warners and the co-sponsoring com¬
panies are: special exhibits of early
communications and photographic equip¬
ment; national and international science
and industry conferences on future de¬
velopment; educational forums on the
applications of sound motion pictures in
teaching arts and sciences, and on the
use of sound film to promote interna¬
tional understanding. Special programs
will be devised for theatres throughout
the country.
Initial Vitaphone Showing
The talking motion picture as it is
known today dates from the August 6,
1926, special Vitaphone program pre¬
miered at the old Warner Theatre in
New York, in which recorded music and
speech were synchronized with motion
pictures. Prior to this showing, Warners
— like other film producers — had been
engaged in the production of silent pic¬
tures. It was a demonstration in 1925
of a talking picture device perfected by
the Western Electric Company and Bell
Telephone Laboratories which decided
Warners to venture their entire financial
resources in the development of the new
medium, until then generally regarded
with great skepticism by the film in¬
dustry as a whole.
Edison’s Pioneering
Although talking pictures were first
presented successfully in 1926 to create
a revolution in production technique, the
scientific development of talking motion
picture films traces its ancestry to the
WARNER BROS. Pictures, Inc.,
will co-sponsor with a number
of other American companies
and scientific leaders, the twentieth an¬
niversary of the practical use of talking
motion pictures for theatrical use. An¬
niversary program will continue over a
period of four months, winding up on
August 6, 1946; latter being the
twentieth anniversary of the date on
which Warners, by arrangement with
Western Electric Company and Bell
Telephone Laboratories, presented the
first commercially successful showing of
talking films.
Sponsoring the worldwide anniversary
celebration in cooperation with Warners
are: The Bell System — including the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company, Western Electric Company,
and Bell Telephone Laboratories; RCA-
Victor Corporation; Thomas A. Edison,
Inc.; and Eastman Kodak Company.
Scientific interests will also be repre¬
sented by the Society of Motion Picture
Engineers, many of whose members are
Early model of sound mixing booth — unventilated and lined with sound-deadening materials. Similar and
smaller booths originally housing cameras and camera staff in eary days of sound production proved to be
sweat boxes when doors were closed during shooting.
162 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Peverell Marley, A.S.C. and one of the latest type of sound-proofed cameras being used at Warners.
inventions of the late Thomas A. Edison;
and the invention of the audion tube
by Dr. Lee de Forest. In 1887 Edison
wrote: “The idea occurred to me that
it was possible to devise an instrument
which should do for the eye what the
phonograph did for the ear, and that —
by a combination of the two — all mo¬
tion and sound could be recorded and
reproduced simultaneously.”
Two years later, Edison gave the first
demonstration of a small motion pic¬
ture, mechanically synchronized with a
phonograph record. During the next
dozen years, Edison had made nearly 20
brief motion picture subjects for the
“kinetophone,” as the Edison device was
known, and these were shown in a num¬
ber of theatres in various parts of the
country.
De Forest’s Important Contributions
De Forest developed a sound-on-film
method of synchronizing sound with mo¬
tion pictures, which he called “Phono-
film.” Demonstrations of Phonofilm were
given in de Forest’s New York labora¬
tory in 1921; which was followed by
public exhibitions in the following two
years in eastern theaters, including the
Rivoli and Rialto theatres in New York
City. At the time, however, leaders of
the film industry refused to get excited
about talking pictures as a replacement
for the then-popular silent product.
Warners Adopt Western Electric Method
Culmination of those pioneering ac¬
tivities resulted in perfection of the
finest talking picture technique avail¬
able up to that time by Western Electric
Company and Bell Telephone Labora¬
tories — after a long period of intensive
and expensive research. Although the
silent films were at the heighth of de¬
velopment both technically and artisti¬
cally, audience interest was noted to be
An early type of blimp to deaden camera mechanism
sound during shooting.
tapering off in the theatres, and the
Warner brothers were progressive
enough to take the long shot that talk¬
ing pictures would be the solution to re¬
viving the waning box offices. Experi¬
menting with the new medium, Warners
soon developed the new technique and
adapted it for practical production to
the point that they were able to pro¬
duce talking pictures successfully
through use of the device perfected by
Western Electric and Bell Laboratories.
Initial Showing in 1926
On August 6, 1926, at the then-known
Warner Theatre, New York, the entire
future of Warners was wrapped up in
the first public showing of a complete
program of talking and sound films were
shown. Metropolitan Opera stars and
outstanding concert artists sang and
played before the audience, followed by
the feature, “Don Juan,” starring the late
John Barrymore, with a fully synchron¬
ized and recorded musical score.
The Vitaphone premiere — although
ethusiastically received by the New
York public at the time — failed to jolt
the complacency of other company ex¬
ecutives, who considered the showing a
passing fancy which could not disturb
the even tenor of the film industry at
that time. But Warners predicated their
entire business future on talkers, and
were soon turning out features that gen¬
erated terrific grosses in the relatively
few theatres that had foresight enough
to install the sound reproducing appa¬
ratus.
Bell Telephone Laboratories and
Western Electric — continuing their de¬
velopment work — did impoi'tant re¬
search in sound-on-film recording; while
Radio Corporation of America likewise
carried forward development of sound-
on-film. Six months after the Warner
premiere, William Fox and Theodore
Case introduced the Movietone newsreel.
In the early Vitaphone period, Victor
Talking Machine and Columbia Phono¬
graph both made important contribu¬
tions to the techniques of recording-on-
discs; while Eastman Kodak and du
Pont film division developed the means
of adapting motion picture film to the
requirements of sound-on-film recording.
Sponsors of the 20th anniversary of
the introduction of commercially suc¬
cessful sound in motion pictures em¬
phasize that — in addition to commem¬
orating the achievements of the past —
the event will be dedicated to the setting
of new standards of accomplishment in
motion picture sound recording for the
future, in addition to opening of new
horizons of public service by films and
the motion picture industry.
American Cinematographer • May, 1946
163
Survey of Current Processes of Color
Kinematography in England
By JACK H. COOTE, F. R. P. S.
(The following address by Mr. Coote, Director of British Tricolour Process, Ltd. of London, delivered to
the British Kinematograph Society on February 13, 1946, is particularly informative in detailing the present
status of color motion picture cinematography in England. The address was originally printed in the March
1st, 1946, issue of the British Journal of Photography, and reprinted by permission.)
Recalling a review of color cinematog¬
raphy by Dr. D. A. Spencer a decade
ago, Mr. Coote stated: “Although the
situation has not radically changed since
then, rather more is now known about
several processes which Dr. Spencer
could only touch upon, because of their
short history at that time. In addition,
the intervening years largely eaten up by
war, have resulted in a certain amount
of confusion and uncertainty regarding
the true position and probable future of
a number of current colour processes.
Therefore, a discussion of the advantages
and the disadvantages of most of the
currently operated processes might be
useful at this time, although any paper
dealing with colour kinematography
must necessarily leave many questions
unanswered — time alone is capable of
sifting colour processes into their true
value and relationship.
“The whole field of colour kinematog¬
raphy can be divided into two parts if
we deal separately with additive and
subtractive processes, and since the only
additive process which is at present
available for commercial use is Dufay-
color, it will be convenient to discuss
that process first of all. Any process
which permits the use of an ordinary
single film camera for colour photogra¬
phy, as does Dufaycolor, has an un¬
questionable advantage over one which
requires the employment of a special
colour camera, and the advantage is
further increased if the same material
can be satisfactorily exposed with a
considerably lower level of illumination
than that which is possible for sub¬
tractive processes. Yet these advantages
can be outweighed by other consid¬
erations, and this is evidenced by the
fact that some 90 percent of the colour
which reaches the commercial screen is
the result of photography with a ‘beam¬
splitter’ camera.
“Probably the difficulty which has
weighed most heavily against the wide¬
spread use of the Dufaycolor process is
the fact that a theatre with a screen
illumination of 10 foot lamberts, which
is the recommended Society of Motion
Picture Engineers standard, will have an
effective illumination of less than two
foot lamberts when running Dufaycolor.
The effect which the discrete filter ele¬
ments of the Dufaycolor reseau have
upon picture definition has been the sub¬
ject of much discussion, but it is certain
that the number of lines or elements per
millimetre — which is at present 25 — is
less than the 40 or 50 lines per mm.
which it is now usual to resolve in black
and white prints made from negative
materials such as Plus X.
“It might be thought that the high
base density of 0.75, due as it is to in¬
dividual filter elements, would seriously
limit the quality of sound obtainable
from any track printed on such material.
However, Klein has claimed that in prac¬
tice the output of the photo-electric cell
is 70 percent of its normal and suggests
that this somewhat surprising result is
due to some form of ‘stimulation’ effect
resulting from the constantly changing
wavelengths to which the cell is exposed
during the passage of the tri-colour filter
elements past the slit. The effect is prob¬
ably more readily explained by the fact
that, despite their visual density of 0.75,
all three of the colour filter elements will
be highly transparent to infra-red rays,
to which the usual type of photo-cell is
most sensitive.
Technicolor — Advantages and
Disadvantages
“The Technicolor process has been
brought to such an advance state of tech-
(Continued on Page 184)
Cabling the camera uphill — Olivia DeHavilland and Ray Milland start uphill on a walking shot for Para¬
mount's "The Well-Groomed Bride." On the camera dolly, which moves up the hill on the wooden tracks
specially laid down, are Director Sidney Lanfield and Director of Photography John Seitz, A.S.C. Dolly on
sidewalk behind pole carries the sound microphone boom.
164
May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
At Y our Service!
the staff of
J. E. Brulatour, INC.
with
EASTMAN
FILMS -
J. E. BRULATOUR, Inc.
FORT LEE • CHICAGO • HOLLYWOOD
THROUGH the EDITOR'S FINDER
FOR THE past 20 or more years,
there has been a magic glamor con¬
nected with Hollywood and all phases
of motion picture production and related
subjects. The Better Business Bureau
has continually cautioned the public out¬
side of Hollywood against unscrupulous
promoters of songwriting and “learn-to-
write-film-scripts” schools which have
carried the added bait of a Hollywood
address to lure tuition fees from all
parts of the world for correspondence
courses which are claimed to instruct
individuals sufficiently in motion picture
production techniques for eventual lu¬
crative incomes in the motion picture in¬
dustry.
Because of the prominent part played
by motion pictures in the war effort for
all of the United Nations, in addition
to the growing interest in every country
for its own national film industry — even
though such plans may eventually be
devoted to documentary and instruc¬
tional pictures produced by either the
government or private enterprise — there
may develop correspondence schools of
instruction in cinematography and other
related productional and technical
branches of film production. And it is
entirely likely that such correspondence
schools — because of the glamorous
touch of a Hollywood address — may be
established in the film capitol in order
to more easily catch the attention of
possible fee-paying students.
From a most intimate knowledge of
the artistic and technical sides of film
production, it might be pointed out that
work in the studios and on film pro¬
duction — regardless of the department
— - is decidedly intense and exacting.
There is little fame connected with pro¬
duction posts, and a lucrative income is
dubious in contrast to the amount of
time, energy, brain-power and labor nec¬
essary.
And — as any person who has dabbled
in amateur photography or cinematog¬
raphy is well aware — a certain amount
of information can be obtained from
books and other printed words, but, in
the last analysis, perfection in the art
of photography finally comes from prac¬
tical experience. There is no substitute
for the latter, regardless of any claims
to short-cuts that might be advanced.
So, at this time, it is well that we
point out the possibilities of such pro¬
motion by various schools claiming to
instruct in the basic fundamentals and
finer points of cinematography or other
technical phases of motion picture pro¬
duction, and that such courses should be
thoroughly investigated by those inter¬
ested to make certain that the home in¬
struction to be given will be complete in
basic fundamentals, and — more impor¬
tant — that the instructors are fully
qualified by experience on actual film
production in major Hollywood studios
to impart the proper information to the
subscribers to such a course.
ALTHOUGH certain secrecy sur¬
rounded the project — mainly to
prevent either too great anticipation of
early installation or rabid opposition —
it is pertinent at this time to give a
brief explanation of the experiments be¬
ing conducted by 20th Century-Fox on
the 50 mm. width film size for possible
standardization in the large de luxe
theatres. Let it be stated definitely that
— before such a new film size be adopted
— much time and effort is necessary for
research and ironing out of new tech¬
niques required; and it will be several
years before the initial feature film
would be made for release in the
theatres.
The experimental enterprise being
conducted by 20th-Fox is designed to ac¬
centuate the photographic and sound
qualities of pictures of the future for
the new theatres planned for construc¬
tion during the next several years by
the major circuits. Main purpose seems
to be to allow for a wider sound track
on the positive prints in order to accom¬
modate the stereophonic-type of three
track sound as developed originally by
Western Electric; which allows each
sound track to be channelled to corre¬
sponding left, center, and right horn re¬
producers behind the theatre screen for
realistic third dimensional sound effect.
In retaining present frame heighth of
35 mm. size, the 50 mm. width will
allow for a wider camera and projector
aperature of approximately 50 per cent.
Such a wider scope for the camera
will naturally entail plenty of experimen¬
tation on new and radical photographic
techniques. But the expert studio
cinematographers — as in the past —
will capably solve the problem in their
specific field.
UNION PACIFIC, which was one of
the first railroads to utilize 16 mm.
kodachrome for display of the scenic
wonders of the territory it covers, cur¬
rently announces a photographic contest
which is certain to attract numerous
camera enthusiasts to the designated lo¬
cations of Zion, Bryce, and north rim
Grand Canyon National Parks in Utah
and Arizona. It’s a splendid idea of the
picture-conscious UP officials, and cer¬
tain to be duplicated by other railroads,
travel agencies and vacation spots.
In addition to substantial cash prizes
for 8mm. and 16mm. movies in either
black-and-white or color; there are di¬
visions especially for black-and-white
photos and color transparencies or
prints. Pictures to be submitted are to
be taken in the designated National
Parks between June 1 and October 1.
For the benefit of program chairmen
of amateur cinema clubs, it might be
pointed out that Union Pacific produced
a beautiful travel film in 16mm. koda¬
chrome of the area open for the contest
under title of “Nature’s Art Gallery,”
which might be booked for club meet¬
ings to provide members with an idea
of the wide scope for movie making.
STATE of West Virginia is making
a bid to attract amateur movie and
photographic enthusiasts for vacation
trips, and has set up a special photo in¬
formation service for the benefit of film-
making tourists. The service has been
inaugurated by the State Industrial and
Publicity Commission at the state capi¬
tol, Charleston, and will supply inquirers
with information on districts holding na¬
tural photographic prospects, weather
and seasons, sources of photographic
supplies and finishig plants in the state,
and travel information in general.
The plan as set up by West Virginia
is just another indication of the progres¬
siveness of states and other organiza¬
tions in recognizing the promotional
values of attracting camera enthusiasts
for movie making.
RECENTLY announced order of
OPA will result in retail price tilt
for new cameras, projectors, and most
photographic accessories of eight or ten
per cent over pre-war levels; in addition
to the excise tax of about 18 per cent.
Price increases were allowed to par¬
tially offset greater labor and material
costs of the manufacturers. However, in¬
crease granted does not apply to film or
used photographic materials.
There is no question but what the ter¬
rific interest generated during the war
in all photographic activities will
greatly expand the number of amateur
movie enthusiasts from now on. In at¬
tracting new members and retaining the
interest of beginners in club activities,
it was suggested that clubs might set
up a special 15 minute or half hour pe¬
riod either prior to or following the
regular meeting, in which talks on fun¬
damentals of photography and various
types of equipment are given for the
benefit of the new enthusiasts. It is cer¬
tain that this procedure will be highly
informative to the beginners, and speed
their knowledge of fundamentals.
A number of the older amateur cine
clubs continued the fundamental lectures
or supplemental meetings on elemental
and advanced cinematography during
the war years for most beneficial results
in retaining interest of the newer mem¬
bers. From reports seeping over the edi¬
torial desk, other clubs have either
launched or resumed such activities for
the novice members during the past few
months. In several instances, the instruc¬
tional meetings are held in between the
regular monthly get-togethers; while in
other cases, the informative sessions are
staged either before or following the
regular meetings.
166 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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4 Bakelite film centers
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I Oil can
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I Bottle of camera lubricating oil — good for 80 below
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3 Camera belts — small, medium, large
I Camera portable power pack shoulder carrying strap
with 6 non-spillable storage batteries and 3 4-volt,
2 6-volt, I 12-volt outlets
SET OF LENSES— Complete . $1,420.00
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 50 mm f 2.3 coated lens
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1 Bausch & Lomb Baltar 35 mm f 2.3 coated lens
SOUND SYSTEM— Complete . $1,853.00
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2 Galvanometer Cables
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4 Exciter Lamps
2 Microphones with cable, gooseneck and baffle
2 Microphone tripods
I Vibrator Pack with 6 non-spillable storage batteries
TRIPOD — Complete . $600.00
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American Cinematographer • May, 1946 167
Film Industry to Salute American Society of
Cinematographers on 25th Anniversary
Celebration at Cocoanut Grove, June 17
The Hollywood motion picture industry; including foremost stars, direc¬
tors, studio heads, producers, executives and other artists; will celebrate the
twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the founding of the American Society
of Cinematographers at a dinner dance to be held in the Cocoanut Grove
of the Ambassador hotel, Los Angeles, on evening of June 17th, 1946.
The affair will be the first post-war event of its kind to be presented by
the Hollywood production branch of the industry; and as an exclusive all¬
industry affair — will be attended by the top stars and personalities of the
business.
Edgar Bergen, A.S.C., as chairman of the entertainment committee, is
currently assembling a program comprising stellar screen and radio stars for
appearances at the event — and the lineup is expected to surpass the best
ever presented by Hollywood filmites.
Schultheis Joins Telefilm
Herman Schultheis, previously with
Walt Disney Productions and 20th
Century-Fox, has joined Telefilm. He
will devote his time to research and de¬
sign of new precision equipment for im¬
provement of sound and printing pro¬
cesses of 16mm. films.
Dunn Returns to Ansco
Robert M. Dunn has returned to his
post of advertising manager of Ansco,
following two years’ service in the Navy.
He will headquarter at company’s New
York offices, while Winthrop Davenport
will continue in charge of the Bingham¬
ton department under Dunn’s direction.
Details of Bell <& Howell Deal
with Rank Interests Told
General details of the long-term
agreement between Bell & Howell Co.,
makers of precision photographic equip¬
ment, and British Acoustic Films, Ltd.,
of England (engineering and manufac¬
turing facility of the J. Arthur Rank
group), are disclosed in an announce¬
ment by J. H. McNabb, president of
B&H.
Under stipulations of the arrange¬
ment, a complete interchange of re¬
search as well as manufacture and dis¬
tribution of equipment is effected be¬
tween the tw ) firms. All standard 35mm
and substandard 16mm and 8mm Bell &
Howell equipment, including sound and
silent projectors, cameras, and slide pro¬
jectors (as well as a wide range of ac¬
cessories) will be made in England by
British Acoustic Films Ltd., whose
plants will be operated in strict accord
with Bell & Howell engineering and pro¬
duction methods. Technical “know-how”
for this project will be afforded by E. C.
Johnson, veteran Bell & Howell engi¬
neer, who will be located in England for
the next several years, it is revealed.
Distribution of the English-made prod¬
ucts will cover the British Empire and
certain other countries.
Deal to Affect Films Also
Under separate but concurrent agree¬
ments, all substandard motion picture
films owned or controlled by British
Acoustic Films Ltd., will be distributed
in the United States, its possessions, and
throughout South America by Bell &
Howell, thus augmenting considerably
the Chicago concern’s already enormous
films owned or controlled by British
Acoustic will distribute, in their terri¬
tory, films owned or controlled by Bell
& Howell’s Filmsound Library.
Aussie and British Racetracks
Negotiating for Telefilm
Australian racetracks in Melbourne
and Sydney, in addition to representa¬
tives of courses in England, are cur¬
rently negotiating to install the Tele¬
film system of photographing each in¬
dividual race of thorobreds. This expan¬
sion of the Telefilming of races which
has proved so successful at the Holly¬
wood Park and Santa Anita tracks in
Southern California, is disclosed by
Joseph A. Thomas, president of Tele¬
film.
Pictorial Films' Releases
Total of 39 features, mainly from
PRC and previously released in 35mm.
size to theatres, comprise the 1946 re¬
leasing program of 16mm. pictures by
Pictorial Films, Inc. Sol Lesser’s fea¬
ture, “Three’s A Family,” is also on
the releasing schedule.
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168
May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
If you take it on Hypan
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whenyo u wan t to with AnscoHypan Re¬
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Ask for Ansco Hypan, today! Ansco,
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HYPAN FILM
SOVIET'S WAR DOCUMENTARY
The Great Turning Point
(Editor’s Note: This article, radioed from Moscow, is an official release of the Soviet film industry. The
author, Arkadi Kaltsaty, is one of the best of the Soviet cameramen — workinq with outstanding directors of
that country for years. He has handled photography on several pictures with director Friedrich Ermler; and
it was with the latter that he recently finished the full length film which is the subject of this article.)
It would be difficult to find anyone
today who is not familiar with the word
Stalingrad. In the minds of all friends
of the United Nations, the name of this
Russian city is associated with the great
turning point in the late war, marking
the beginning of the end for Fascism.
Prolonged defense of the ruined city,
where every house and street witnessed
the incredible staunchness and courage •
of the Red army and its men, seemed
nothing less than miraculous to many —
but, as everyone knows — this is not the
age of miracles. Victory at Stalingrad
was definitely the result of precise and
timely execution of a brilliant plan of
the Soviet High Command, and it was
this plan which served as the theme
of this new Soviet film, “The Great
Turning Point.”
Needless to say, such a film required
the services of a first class scenario
writer; and this assignment was filled
by the promising young playwright,
Brois Chirskov. The scenario, on the
other hand, called for a brilliant and
highly-skilled producer — and Friedrich
Ermoler handled the responsibilities ad¬
mirably.
An earnest and observant artist, he
deals only with vital themes of the day.
His heroes are thinking human beings
whose exploits and certainly in justice
of their cause gain them victory over
the enemy. This was best exemplified
by his films “First Comer,” “Peasanta,”
“Great Citizen,” and “She Defends Her
Country.” It is also true of his new
film, “The Great Turning Point.”
Main role of the army general is
played by Mikhail Derzhavin. Necessary
portrayal of brilliance of strategy, will¬
power of leadership, loyalty of true
friendship, and sense of justice — all
were admirably portrayed by the artist
in the most responsible role.
Many organizations of the armed
forces gave intimate attention to the
production of the new film, and did their
best to help us. Many times, the direc¬
tor and his assistants consulted with
the military specialists and frequently
conferred with generals who have
fought in the great patriotic war.
Actors were put through rigorous
training. Ermoler was satisfied only
when they had gained the smart bearing
of the professional soldier. He dressed
them in uniforms and made them walk
through the streets of Leningrad — per¬
sonally following in their wake. He
watched every gesture of his “generals”,
and on one occasion, Ermoler asked the
director of the studio to receive a group
of army men consulting on the pro¬
posed film. A lively discussion on the
film ensued, and it was only when they
were taking leave that the studio of¬
ficial realized that his “guests” were
none other than the actors assigned to
the picture. Ermoler then explained
that he had made this experiment mere¬
ly as a test of the naturalness of his
players, and that he was highly satis¬
fied with the results. Now that the film
is finished, we are pleased to hear from
army officials that it is militarily cor¬
rect in all details.
It was particularly difficult, of course,
to re-create the atmosphere of war
operations, but in this we received in¬
valuable aid from the Red Army com¬
mand.
We did our filming in the wake of ad¬
vancing troops on what was only re¬
cently battle terrain. None of the cus¬
tomary filming tricks were necessary
here; as the background locations were
realistic scenes of very recent combat
operations. We were assigned a large
army detachment headed by eighty nine
officers.
Preparations for filming at exact lo¬
cation of Stalingrad’s renowned house
48 required several days. This is a
circular scene in which spectators com¬
mand a view of combat operations in
three streets. Movement of the cameras
had to be calculated down to the split
second. For example, the camera had
to be moved towards a certain point
just when tanks were appearing and
when the walls of neighboring houses
were collapsing in flames and smoke.
Slightest delay in proper timing would
have spoiled a shot which could not
have been repeated. All details had
been so thoroughly practised and per¬
fected by the camera crew that the pan¬
orama was filmed most successfully.
Success of “The Great Turning Point”
coincided with another happy event in
the life of Ermoler when the Soviet
government awarded him the Stalin
prize for his film, “She Defends Her
Country,” produced in the first year of
the war. This was the second time
that Ermoler received the Stalin prize;
first of his films to receive the award
being “The Great Citizen,” story of
the Soviet statesman, Skirov.
New Fonda developing .machine built to Army Air Corpe specifications for the processing of Ansco color film. This small unit has a capacity of approximately
12 feet per minute. It is portable in sections, each of the latter weighing approximately 300 pounds, and has all the advantages of the larger Fonda machines.
170 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Syracuse Movie Makers
Three films from the library
of AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
highlighted the film program of the
March 19th meeting of Syracuse Movie
Makers. Pictures shown included: “Mood
of Nature,” by Paul Nurnford, F. R. P.
S.; “In the Beginning,” by Fred Ells;
and “To the Ships of Sydney,” by Sher¬
lock. “California,” by member Karl
Cook, completed the program.
Recording demonstration of sound-on-
disc featured the meeting on April 2nd;
and a trial film was synchronized stro-
poscopically to disc, with the narration
and music recorded and then played back
at the meeting. U. P. Harvell, formerly
with the AAF and a photographer on
the Ploesti oil field raids, screened some
of the films he took in the India and
European battle areas at meeting held
on April 16th. Showing was the first
before a semi-public audience.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Lecture on the fundamentals of movie
making — covering exposure, focus, and
composition by A1 Morton, featured the
March 20th meeting of Utah Cine Arts
Club, held at Teamsters Hall, Salt Lake
City. In addition, Morton used his new
16 mm. sound projector to screen, “Man,
Gun and a Dog” for the film end of the
program; which also included: “Alaska
Travel Picture” by Mr. and Mrs. J. W.
Maycroft; and “Russian Easter,” loaned
by ACL.
Past president George Brignand func¬
tioned as program chairman for the
April 17th meeting, when a technical lec¬
ture on movie making angles was de¬
livered by vice president Pete Larson.
Film program for the evening, in addi¬
tion to the regulation surprise picture,
comprised: “Up a Winding Road,” by
Larsen; “Thrills and Spills,” by 0. L.
Tapp; “Summer, 1945, at Lost River,”
by J. F. McClement; “Atwood,” by Ker-
mit Fullmer; and “Vacation Land,” by
Vern Lunt.
Cinema Club of San Francisco
Cinema Club of San Francisco is plan¬
ning a gala celebration for its 15th anni¬
versary at meeting of May 21st, which
will be preceded by a dinner get-to¬
gether. Film program of the April 16th
meeting, held at the Women’s City club,
included: “Guadalajara, Mexico & En¬
virons,” (8mm.) by M. L. Dreyfous;
“Lake Tahoe,” (16mm.) by L. Frano-
vich; “L’lle D’Orleans,” (16 mm., from
ACL library; “Hetch Hetchy,” (16mm.)
by Leon Gagne. George Keeney of Ansco
provided a discussion and demonstration
reel of the new Ansco color film. Many
members took their cameras and tri¬
pods on a special club visit to a nursery
in Hayward, where a large collection of
oriental peonies in full bloom were gen¬
erously shot from all conceivable angles.
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
Seventh “Gala Night” of Brooklyn
Amateur Cine Club sootlie-hted a new
idea for programs of this nature — a
Newsreel which included selected news
items filmed during the year by club
members. Contributors to the first edi¬
tion of the club’s color reel included
Charles Ross, Charles Benjamin, Francis
Sinclaire, William Morris, and Irving
Gittell. Other films shown included:
“Farmer’s Daughter,” by Clarence N.
Aldrich of Long Beach, Calif.; “Honey
Harvest,” by W. W. Vincent, jr, of Ken-
esha, Wis.; “Awing and Afield,” by
Frank E. Gunnell; “Song of the Open
Road,” by Charles Benjamin; “Trapper,”
by Charles Ross; and “Windjammer,” by
Sidney Moritz.
Charles Debevoise presented his film,
“Queens Is Ready” at the April 17th
meeting; while Walter Bergmann is
slated to be featured on program of May
15th for exhibition of a group of his
outstanding films.
Los Angeles Cinema Club
Club secretary Jack Shandler reported
a new high in membership of the Los
Angeles Cinema Club at the April 1st
meeting held at the Ebell Club’s Fine
Arts Hall; with roster showing 165 act¬
ive members. With diversity the keynote
of arranging each meeting program,
films shown provided a fine balance of
entertainment interest with: “While the
Earth Remaineth,” by Frank E. Gunnell;
“High Sierra Vacation,” by L. S. Peter¬
man; “Navajo Land,” courtesy of Santa
Fe railroad; and “In All the World,”
courtesy of Great Northern railroad.
Alhambra La Casa
C. L. Ritter chairmaned the April 15
meeting of the La Casa Movie Club of
Alhambra, California, at which film pro¬
gram comprised: “Tourist’s Viewpoint in
Mexico,” by Hugh S. Wallace; “Four
Seasons in the High Sierra,” by Lloyd
Austin; and “While the Earth Remain¬
eth,” by Frank E. Gunnell, ACL. About
50 members of La Casa journeyed to the
Barstow area on the March 30th week¬
end to take pictures in the colorful
Odessa and Mule canyons and the old
mining town of Calico.
Los Angeles Eight
Arden Farms Clubhouse was site of
the April 9th meeting of Los Angeles
Eight Club, with a lucky ticket holder
beig presented with a roll of kodachrome
film. Program included a brief talk on
the simple features of titling, after
which the club’s technical committee
took the floor to answer questions on
photographic problems of members. Spe¬
cial contest for members during May
will provide for prizes to be awarded
for 50 foot subjects, suitably edited, in
either color or monotone.
Philadelphia Cinema Club
Members of Philadelphia Cinema Club
were provided with a new and decidedly
interesting feature of the much-photo¬
graphed “Colonial Williamsburg” at
April 9th meeting held in Westminster
Hall, when Harold Hoffman displayed
his 16mm. film, “The Restoration of Co¬
lonial Williamsburg.” Latter treats the
subject in a manner never seen before,
and few of the scenes were recognizable
as similar to those in previous pictures.
Other films on the meeting program in¬
cluded: “The Village Cut-up,” produced
by the 8-16 Movie Club; and “Safari on
Wheels,” through courtesy of Esso.
Meeting was the first under guidance of
Francis M. Hirst, the new president.
New York Eight
Eighth annual meeting of New York
8mm. Club was held at the Hotel Penn¬
sylvania on April 26, with the program
committee lining up “the greatest 8mm.
show on earth” for the large turnout of
members and guests. Subjects included:
“The Bride’s Biscuits,” by George Val¬
entine; “Garden Truck,” by A. D. Fur-
nans; “Southern Exposures,” by Ernest
Kremer; “Lassie Stays Home,” by R. J.
Berger; “This’ll Kill You,” by Lon Wad-
man; and “Return From Fire,” by Dr.
Linwood Heaver. April 15th meeting of
the New York Eight programmed the
following films: “The Story of America’s
Alertmen,” by Victor Ancona; “The
Past Master,” by George Valentine; and
“Major Investment,” by R. E. Richards.
Westwood Movie Club
Westwood of San Francisco con¬
tinued its interesting get-togethers with
film program on March 29 at St. Francis
Community Hall which included follow¬
ing films: “Wainwright Parade,” (8mm.)
by Eric Unmack; “Westwood’s Fourth
Annual Dinner,” (8mm.); and a sound-
on wire demonstration (courtesy of Gen¬
eral Electric) by Fred Harvey and Don
Campbell. Elsa Luck, chairman of the
membership committee, has signed up
12 new members since recently taking
office — • another indication of the wider
interest in movie making since film and
equipment has become available.
Metropolitan Club
Harry Groedel’s “Travelog” featured
the April 18th meeting of Metropolitan
Motion Picture Club, held at Hotel
Pennsylvania. Other films included:
“How Green Is the Earth,” by Charles
Benjamin; “Ski Legs,” by Charles and
Robert Coles; and “Windjammer,” by
Sidney Moritz. At the May 1st Supple¬
mental meeting, Moritz will detail the
planning of his vacation for the sole
purpose of bringing back a movie of out¬
standing calibre and importance cinema-
ta graphically.
172 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Hoods as sunshades for lenses and attachments.
Filters of various kinds for Cine-Kodaks are available in two
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Buying A New Sound-Film Projector?
. . . Select It Carefully!
With the already indicated widespread
interest of newcomers into the field of
amateur cinematography, it is natural
that many will want to acquire both
cameras and projectors for their own
personal use and enjoyment.
The attractiveness of the expanding
market for the sale of cinematographic
equipment to the amateurs is already
projecting new camera and projector
manufacturers into the field. From sev¬
eral sources come reports that sound-
film projectors will be manufactured to
retail at prices far below the standard
and proven brands of such specific equip¬
ment in the pre-war period.
Which necessitates a word of caution
to the prospective purchaser who might
not have the advantage of expert advice
on equipment desired from friends or
associates. Members of amateur movie
clubs, unless newcomers, are quite fa¬
miliar with the performances and dura¬
bility of the standard brand equipment —
or can readily secure the proper infor¬
mation and comparisons from fellow
club members.
NEW EASTMAN KODAK V.P.
E. P. "Ted” Curtis, veteran official of Eastman
Kodak Co., who has been elected to post of
vice-president of that company.
It must be borne in mind that cameras
and projectors; professional 35 mm.,
16 mm. and 8 mm.; require precision
tooling in manufacture, and cannot be
constructed on too great an assembly
line basis. This requirement of machin¬
ing various parts to very close toler¬
ances, eventuates in wearability and per¬
formance satisfaction to the individual
purchaser.
In the case of sound-film projectors,
there is the added factor of the inclu¬
sion of a sound system which also neces¬
sitates parts that are precisioned. The
time has passed when a 16 mm. sound-
film projector will be accepted by an
amateur enthusiast just as long as it
will project a picture and reproduce any
kind of sound — as was the case in the
early 16 mm. machines.
From various reports in circulation,
the standard and established manufac¬
turers of 16 mm. cameras and equipment
are planning to make available a number
of models in each line. But the past ex¬
perience and reputation of these manu¬
facturers will not allow for the market¬
ing of cheap and shoddy models which
cannot deliver satisfaction in projecting
a suitable picture or reproducing sound
of suitable quality.
These models of machines to come
forth will be in various price ranges
depending on requirements of the pur¬
chasers. They will undoubtedly range
(for lowest price) from the small pro¬
jector to be used in living room at home
for enjoyment by the family — where a
small picture and not too great sound
volume will suffice; to the large profes¬
sional models designed for constant use
in fairly large rooms or auditoriums
where a large picture on the screen,
long throw, and wide range of sound
volume is necessary.
It is advised that movie enthusiasts
intent on early purchase of a sound-film
projector, carefully check over the mod¬
els in line with individual requirements.
Hasty selection because of cheapness in
initial cost, may be regretted later. Re¬
member, you get what you pay for.
MGM Starts 16mm. Feature
Distribution Abroad
New policy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
to supply 16mm. prints of its feature
and short releases for foreign distribu¬
tion is being installed in 10 countries,
company announcement discloses. Prints
in 16mm. size are already being shipped,
with likelihood that Latin American
countries will start first series of minne
exhibitions immediately. The countries
getting initial 16mm. prints of MGM
productions are: France, Belgium, Ar¬
gentina, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico,
Chile, Panama, Venezuela, and the Phil¬
ippines.
Victorian Amateur Cine
Annual open “Five Best” competition
of Victorian Amateur Cine Society of
South Melbourne, Australia, resulted in
the following winners: “Miss Under¬
standing,” (16mm. B&W) by V. E. Pye,
Sandringham, Victoria; “Sauce for the
Goose,” (16mm. B&W) by W. Philpot,
Malvern, Victoria; “Blossom Time,”
(8mm. kodachrome) by L. K. Anderson,
Forestville, South Australia; “Yarra
Yarra,” (16mm. kodachrome) by W. W.
Norman, Caulfield, Victoria; and “Moun¬
tain Holiday,” (16mm. kodachrome) by
V. E. Pye. First named film also won
the president’s trophy for the best entry
by a Victorian Club member.
Victorian Cine Society has member¬
ship of about 100, and maintains its own
clubrooms. Latter are equipped with a
Bell & Howell 16mm. projector, tip-up
seats, and various equipment for use of
members including dual turntables, rec¬
ords, microphone and amplifiers. An
8mm. projector will be purchased as soon
as available.
Syracuse Movie Makers
Syracuse Movie Makers is now in¬
stalled in quarters at 211 Glenwood Ave.,
Syracuse, N. Y., until such time as the
organization can either purchase or
lease its own clubhouse which would
have sufficient space to house the pro¬
cessing equipment owned by the club.
Latter includes facilities for processing
of both negative-positive and reversal
stock of either 8mm. or 16mm. film. Also
available for members’ use were two
16mm. step printers, one 16mm. continu¬
ous and sound track printer, and one
8mm. step printer — all designed and
constructed by members.
As first step in expanding post-war
activities, Syracuse announces a film
contest among members to be judged
late in the year. Films winning sufficient
points from the judges will be awarded
“Oscarettes” of merit on each phase of
cinematography. Oscarettes are to be
awarded on the basis of best editing,
composition, titling, photography, sound
recording, etc. Figurines will be perma¬
nently held by the winners, with addi¬
tional ones to be awarded annually. Cur¬
rently, a special committee is formu¬
lating the rules for the contest.
PSA Annual Exhibit Color
Photography Oct. 30-Nov. 2
Annual exhibit of color photography
will be held by Photographic Society of
America at Rochester, Oct. 30 to Nov. 2
during the annual meeting of PSA. It is
expected that several thousand prints
and color slides will be entered.
Jones Appointed
V. P. of Olesen
Charles M. Jones, a director of the
Otto K. Olesen Company of Hollywood,
has been appointed a vice president of
the corporation. Olesen Company will
distribute the new RCA-Victor 16mm.
sound projectors for commercial outlets
in the southern California field.
174 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
0>OLOR photography is the thing,
but if it’s to be color you must be able to
control your light, and you will need
Bardwell & McAlister Lighting Equip¬
ment for good work.
Bardwell & McAlister Lighting Equip¬
ment was originally designed for color as
well as black and white. For over fifteen
years, our engineers in consultation with
the ace cameramen of Hollywood, have
developed a complete line of spots and
accessories which meet every requirement
of the motion picture industry. It is char¬
acteristic of all Bardwell & McAlister
lights that they are cool, noiseless and op¬
tically correct.
Fresnel type lenses on all Bardwell &
McAlister spots permit full illumination
with a smooth field which can be con¬
trolled for all requirements. Bardwell &
McAlister lights are the accepted stand¬
ard for excellence throughout the motion
picture industry. Place your orders now
for early delivery. No priorities required.
The Junior Spot
1000-2000 Watts
for literature
describing the Baby Keg-
Lite, The Dinky-Inkie, The
Junior Spot (1000-2000
Watts), the Senior Spot
(5000 Watts), the Single and
Double Broads, and their ac¬
cessories as shown in the
accompanying illustrations.
Bardwell & McAlister light¬
ing equipment has a com¬
plete line of Snoots, Diffus¬
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accessories for controlling
light at all angles and under
all conditions. Address Dept.
24-16.
The Senior Spot
5000 Watts
THE FOCO SPOT it for use with the
Baby Keg-Lite and gives a concentrated
spot of light with sharp edges in either
round or rectangular forms. Revolving
disc projects circles ranging from 3%''
to 8' 6" in diameter. Novel background
effects may be obtained with painted
slides.
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Single Broad
500 to 750 Watts
The Double Broad
2000 Watts
The Dinky-Inkie
100 to 150 Watt Spot
500 or 750 Watt Spot
THE BABY KEG-UTE (shown above) is
a lightweight 500 or 750 Watt spot for
use as a key light, and for special
lighting jobs. Sturdily built, the de¬
sign assures low temperatures, uniform
heat expansion and elimination of heat
noises. All light ranges between a 4
degree spot and 44 degree flood, con¬
trolled by a small lever from front or
back. Fresnel type lens gives maximum
light pick-up. Stand extends from 4'2"
to 8'6". Total weight 25 pounds.
Bardwell & McAlister, Inc.
Designers and Manufacturers »
BOX 1310, HOLLYWOOD 28, CALIFORNIA
SURVEYING
THE 16 MM.
SOUND FILM
SUPPLY
By JAMES R. OSWALD
The author at the controls of the Amprosound projector YA. which was
used in conducting the extensive 16mm sound film survey.
THE EXTENT to which 16mm will
have an active part in this post
war world of ours is a subject of
great controversy in movie circles every¬
where. In a few short years this “baby”
of the industry has risen from a point
of minor acceptance to one that com¬
mands world-wide recognition.
In its infancy, 16mm was primarily
limited to educational, advertising, and
home use. With modern recording and
reproducing facilities paralleling that of
its big brother, however, 16 mm is no
longer viewed with the skepticism of
“something new.” Add to the economy
angle the extreme compactness and port¬
ability of this lighter weight equipment,
and you score a major victory for 16mm.
The war has served as a proving
ground for this heretofore neglected
member of the film world and has great¬
ly advanced the cause of 16mm in pro¬
fessional fields. Not only then from the
standpoint of rapidly training the GI in
every farflung corner of the earth to
the grim ways of warfare, but also the
use of morale-boasting entertainment
films, has contributed to giving 16mm a
new place under the sun. Just how im¬
portant a part this medium of teaching
and entertaining has played in winning
the war can never be estimated, but the
record of 16mm goes unchallenged.
The writer has been in a position to
conduct a very interesting and informa¬
tive survey of the 16mm sound field.
Close to 25,000 feet of film was analyzed
on the basis of picture quality, sound
quality, and general entertainment value.
Educational pictures, musicals, comedies,
cartoons, travelogs, and sport reels were
included in the survey, representing a
fairly complete coverage of the field.
Films ranging from 100-foot musical
shorts to complete Universal features in
16mm were analyzed. Also given careful
scrutinizing was a specially prepared
musical trailer, sound track only, pro¬
duced by an independent laboratory for
the writer, to be used for “intermission”
purposes.
Months of preparation preceded the
actual viewing of the films. First, cata¬
logs were acquired from 16mm film
rental libraries scattered throughout the
country, from which a choice of mate¬
rial was to be made, assuring impartial¬
ity to producer and distributor. Then
came the tedious task of selecting the
films that were to take part in the
survey.
A system of indexing was set up in
the form of file cards whereon was re¬
corded such vital information as film
name, black-and-white or color, library
available from, and rental rate. Each
film which, after much deliberation, was
considered to be a possible “candidate”
for the survey was given a card of its
own on which this information was re¬
corded. If, when paging through the
various catalogs it occurred that a cer¬
tain chosen film was available from
more than one source, the name of each
library able to supply it was noted on
the film’s own particular card. Thus, not
only a list of the various suppliers was
provided for, but, in a way, the popu¬
larity of the film, itself, was attested to.
The next step was to select a repre¬
sentative group of libraries from whom
the hand-picked films were to be sup¬
plied. Six such rental libraries, from a
number of different localities, afforded
about as accurate a cross-section of the
16mm industry as would be possible to
attain. Booking orders were placed with
the chosen distributors, with play dates
carefully arranged to spread the arrival
of shipments over the allotted time for
the survey. When it is considered that
such a tremendous amount of footage
was to be analyzed, with the necessity
of keeping track of the arrival and re¬
turning of shipments to their respective
libraries at the specified time, the sys¬
tematic carrying out of the procedure is
better appreciated.
As the films came in, each picture was
projected on the screen, and scrutinized
from all angles with the most critical
eyes and ears. As each reel was analyzed,
the file card pertaining to the particular
film being witnessed was kept near at
hand, and a notation made thereon as
to the picture’s “rating.” Films were
evaluated in one of four categories or
classifications . . . very good, good, fair,
and poor.
The survey extended over a period of
two weeks, and from it some interesting
facts were derived. Rental rates on films
averaged from 75c for a one-reel short
lasting approximately 10 minutes on the
screen, to $20.00 for a complete nine-
reel feature with a running time of about
an hour and a half. Naturally, however,
prices vary also with the prestige of the
actors and the prominence of the pro¬
ducer. Surprisingly enough, though, the
most expensive product was not always
found to be the most top ranking. Some
of the modern shorts, for instance, re¬
leased by comparatively minor produc¬
ers, were proven far superior to many
of the better known “name” brands.
With the ever-widening list of avail¬
able sound films, and the extensive num¬
ber of rental libraries already estab¬
lished, new horizons are in the offing for
this medium of entertainment, not only
in commercial fields, but for home use as
well. Since the advent of motion pic¬
tures, many different film sizes and types
have come and gone, often retaining
their popularity for only a short time.
From where I sit, though, one thing can
be said with the utmost enthusiasm and
certainty . . . 16mm sound is here to
stay.
176 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Psychology and the Screen
(Continued from Page 161)
suggesting by means of a controlled in¬
tensity great emotional forces boiling
about beneath the surface. Usually these
roles have been purposely short on dia¬
logue, allowing the player, by skillful
pantomime and facial expressions, to
put across ideas that would have been
greatly inhibited had they been reduced
to specific words. Not every player, of
course, is equal to the demands of this
acting by implication, but the Ingrid
Bergmans, the Spencer Tracys, and the
Paul Munis have become great because
they know how to make one deft facial
expression say more than ten pages of
dialogue. A superb example of this is
the performance given by Dorothy Mc¬
Guire in the current release, “The Spiral
Staircase.” Playing the role of a mute,
Miss McGuire gives a superb perform¬
ance and manages to express a very
complete gamut of emotions by means
of skillful pantomime, speaking only
nine words of dialogue throughout the
entire picture. It is an axiom of screen
psychology that the things left unsaid
are sometimes more eloquent than those
that are said.
Next to direction, the camera is the
most powerful instrument in slanting a
film psychologically. If a dramatic situ¬
ation that is in itself interesting is given
a camera treatment that complements
and enhances it, the sequence is bound
to draw a greater response from the
audience. Added to this is the important
fact that camera angle determines the
viewpoint from which the audience will
see various phases of the action. The
camera may be a detached, objective ob¬
server of the action ; or it may now and
then adopt the viewpoint of one of the
characters and show subjectively how
the action appears to that character.
Although this viewpoint or composition
continually changes throughout the un¬
folding of the story, it should remain con¬
sistent in its overall approach to the
subject.
The film “Rebecca” is an outstanding
example of camerawork precisely adapt¬
ed to the requirements of a story surg¬
ing with psychological undercurrents. In
this film the somber mood, electric with
suspense, persisted throughout; and the
camera had constantly to maintain an
approach that pointed up the effect. On
the other hand, “Mildred Pierce” is a
picture that varied in mood from the
humdrum atmosphere of suburban home-
life to the highly keyed excitement of
murder committed in a lavish beach
house. Each phase of this episodic screen
story established a different mood and
therefore required a differently keyed
camera treatment. The final result on
the screen, a changing pattern of light
and shade in the handling of the camera,
is a tribute to cinematographer Ernest
Haller, A.S.C.
Well-executed camera movement is a
device that does much to stimulate de¬
sirable audience reaction. By means of
the mobile camera the spectator can be
drawn in closely to the subject, raised
or lowered, pulled back for a broader
view, or allowed to follow along while
a player moves from one place to the
other. Such movement permits a great
fluidity of treatment, with the camera
changing its point of view unobtrusively
according to the requirements of the
action.
The close-up has become an indispen¬
sable part of film technique. Its func¬
tion is to focus attention onto minute
details of expression or action that
would otherwise be lost to the audience.
It is a highly emphatic type of shot and
should be used when specific details are
psychologically important in the presen¬
tation of the story. Director Sam Wood
effectively uses super close-ups of his
players’ faces in highly emotional scenes,
so that no flicker of the eyelash or quiver
of the chin fails to register its full im¬
pact on the audience. This technique
was especially effective in “For Whom
the Bell Tolls” and “Saratoga Trunk.”
In line with the theory of leaving cer¬
tain things to the imagination, it can
readily be seen how silhouette and sha¬
dows can be especially useful in putting
over psychological mood. When a scene
is thus presented, all distracting details
are omitted so that just the broad out¬
lines of action and the dialogue are al¬
lowed to register. A forthcoming film,
“The Stranger,” forcefully photographed
by Russell Metty, A.S.C., makes especi¬
ally potent use of silhouette in several
sequences.
Not only does the camera angle itself
inspire certain reactions, but the direc¬
tion of action in relation to the frame
can also convey nuances of meaning. For
instance, a diagonal line of action from
corner to corner of the frame is more
dynamic than action that moves straight
across the frame. Similarly, a line of
action approaching the camera is more
forceful than action going away from
the camera.
Working closely with the camera in
the production of our modern motion
picture is the element of sound. It is in¬
teresting how our theories regarding
audience-imagination are borne out also
in this field. Once, in discussing the
subject of sound with the author, Cecil
B. DeMille said: “In some ways radio
is an even more provocative medium
than the motion picture. In a film, for
instance, the locales, the settings, the
way the players represent certain char¬
acters — all of these factors appearing on
the screen cannot possibly satisfy all
members of the audience. But in radio
where these details are not shown but
are, instead, suggested by sound, the
audience is free to fill in its own mental
impression of how these things look, and
each person’s individual impression is
perfect in his own mind’s-eye.”
Besides actually lending voice to the
characters, the prime function of sound
in the motion picture is to intensify the
visual image, to sharpen the impact of
what we see on the screen by letting us
hear the sounds that go with it. Very
often a certain element of sound is
"Mildred Pierce" ranged in mood from documentary realism to electric suspense, and utilized a constantly-
changing psychological approach to enhance each separate sequence.
178 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
pointed up out of proportion to its actual
importance in order to psychologically
underscore a bit of action. In the afore¬
mentioned film “The Stranger,” there is
a sequence in which a heated exchange
of dialogue takes place following the
running of a 16 mm. film. In this se¬
quence the movie projector continues to
operate after the film has been run
through it, and the loose end of the film
continuously flaps against the table-top
providing a sharp rhythmic beat to
point up the force of the dialogue.
A continuous pattern of sound over a
series of cuts within a sequence tends to
draw the separate scenes of that se¬
quence more closely together. For in¬
stance, in a factory sequence if the
sound of machinery is heard throughout,
every scene intercut against that sound
background will be assumed by the audi¬
ence to be taking place in the same lo¬
cale and at the same time as other
scenes shown with that same sound ac¬
companiment. Thus, sound aids in ef¬
fecting smooth continuity.
Another relative factor in the audi¬
tory phase of motion pictures is back¬
ground music. Functioning to under¬
score the visual image, music aids in
heightening abstract emotions which are
often difficult to express in terms of ac¬
tion and dialogue. Miklos Rozsa, winner
of the 1945 Academy Award for his
scoring of the film “Spellbound,” is par¬
ticularly adept at evolving musical
themes which reflect psychological mood.
In “Spellbound,” for instance, the recur¬
rent psychosis of the amnesia victim was
expressed by means of a haunting mel¬
ody full of fear and hopelessness. Again,
in “The Lost Weekend,” the same com¬
poser interpreted the main character’s
craving for alcohol by means of a weird
musical theme that welled up periodic¬
ally throughout the film, symbolizing the
alcoholic’s inner yearnings.
In “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the
two sides of the main character’s split
personality fighting within him for pos¬
session of his soul, were symbolized by
two conflicting musical themes that
struggled to achieve mastery. In “Water¬
loo Bridge,” the leading character’s
transformation into a prostitute was
symbolized by the accompaniment of
cheap honky-tonk music on the sound
track as she walked the streets. In
“Laura,” the whole atmosphere of so¬
phistication, mystery, and unseen hor¬
ror was effectively embodied in the
haunting musical theme that under¬
scored the film.
Color, also, has a powerful psycho¬
logical effect on an audience, and current
color features are being designed with
full attention to this detail. “Leave Her
to Heaven” and “Frenchman’s Creek”
are especially good examples of color
used to stimulate emphatic response. It
is an axiom of psychology that “warm”
colors (red, orange, and purple) stimu¬
late the emotions, whereas “cool” colors
(blue, green, and yellow) tend to calm
the emotions. The designers of “Gone
With the Wind” took full advantage of
this fact, working generous amounts of
warm color into the settings and cos¬
tumes of the film’s more highly dramatic
sequences.
The precise art of film editing de¬
pends greatly upon the science of psy¬
chology. It is generally recognized that
two pieces of film, taken as separate
scenes, may have two separate and unre¬
lated meanings — but that when these
two scenes are joined together an en¬
tirely new dramatic concept arises out
of the relationship. Actually, the final
psychological effect of several strips of
film cut together depends upon the ap¬
proach used in assembling them, for the
same fragments of action and dialogue
can be made to express vastly different
ideas depending upon how they are
blended into an overall impression.
A good deal of the power of action and
suspense films is created in the cutting
room. It is here, too, that the intangible
but psychologically essential elements of
pace, rhythm, and tempo are injected
into the film. Editing requires a cer¬
tain “feel” for dramatic values plus a
keen understanding of audience psychol¬
ogy. The effectiveness of an entire film
may hinge on how intelligently the sep¬
arate scenes and sequences are fused
into an integrated dramatic pattern.
In conclusion we may say that the
modern motion picture is a blending of
mechanical and creative arts slanted to
the receptivity of the great mass-mind
we call the audience. Because the film
appeals to the mind and to the emotions,
psychology and the screen are insepar¬
ably bound up together. A clearer under¬
standing of this abstract but universal
science on the part of film-makers will
result in pictures that more effectively
fulfill their major responsibility: to en¬
tertain the public.
American Cinematographer • May, 1946
179
Current Assignments of A S. C. Members
As this issue went to press, members
of American Society of Cinematogra¬
phers were engaged in the Hollywood
studios as Directors of Photography on
feature productions as follows:
Columbia Studios
Burnett Gutfey, “Gallant Journey,”
with Glenn Ford, Janet Blair, Henry
Travers, Charles Ruggles.
Rudy Mate, “Down to Earth,” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Rita Hayworth, Larry
Parks, Edward Everett Horton, James
Gleason.
Phil Tannura, “Cowboy Blues,” with
Ken Curtis, Jeff Donnell, Robert Scott.
George Meehan, Jr., “Sing While You
Dance,” with Ellen Drew, Robert Stan¬
ton, Amanda Lane.
Charles Lawton, “Rio,” with Evelyn
Keyes, Ann Miller, Tito Guizar, Allyn
Joslyn, Veloz and Yolanda.
Henry Freulich, “His Face Was Their
Fortune,” with Anita Louise, Michael
Duane, Ted Donaldson.
Hal Roach Studios
John W. Boyle, “Curley,” (Cinecolor),
with Frances Rafferty, Larry Olsen, Eil-
ene Janssen.
International Pictures
Lucien Ballard, “Bella Donna,” with
Merle Oberon, George Brent, Charles
Korvin, Paul Lukas, Lenore Ulric.
Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer
Harry Stradling, “Till the Clouds Roll
By,” (Technicolor), with Robert Walker,
Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn
Grayson, Van Johnson.
Karl Freund, “Undercurrent,” with
Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Rob¬
ert Mitchum.
Robert Surtees, “Tenth Avenue An¬
gel,” with Margaret O’Brien, George
Murphy.
Hal Rosson, “My Brother Who Talked
to Horses,” with Peter Lawford, Bev¬
erly Tyler, Butch Jenkins.
Joseph Ruttenberg, “A Woman of My
Own,” with Greer Garson, Richard Hart,
Bob Mitchum, Florence Bates.
Robert Planck, “Uncle Andy Hardy,”
with Mickey Rooney, Bonita Granville.
Charles Schoenbaum, “The Mighty
McGurk,” with Wallace Beery, Aline
McMahon.
Monogram
William Sickner, “Jade Lady,” with
Kane Richmond, Barbara Reed.
Paramount
Daniel Fapp, “Suddenly It’s Spring,”
with Fred MacMurray, Paulette God¬
dard, Macdonald Carey, Arleen Whelan.
Ray Rennahan, “Perils of Pauline,”
(Technicolor), with Betty Hutton, John
Lund, William Demarest, Billy De
Wolfe, Constance Collier.
William Mellor, “Welcome Stranger,”
with Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald,
Joan Caulfield.
Charles Lang, “Where There’s Life,”
with Bob Hope, Signe Hasso, William
Bendix.
Jack Greenhalgh, “Fear In the Night,”
(Pine-Thomas Prod.) with Paul Kelly,
DeForrest Kelley, Robert Emmett
Keane, Ann Doran.
PRC Studios
Vince Farrar, “Missouri Hayride,”
with Martha O’Driscoll, William Wright.
RKO Studios
George Barnes, “Sinbad the Sailor,”
(Technicolor), with Douglas Fairbanks,
Jr., Maureen O’Hara, Walter Slezak,
Jane Greer.
Nick Muscuraca, “What Nancy Want¬
ed,” with Laraine Day, Brian Aherne,
Robert Mitchum, Gene Raymond, Fay
Helm.
Edward Cronjager, “Honeymoon,”
with Shirley Temple, Franchot Tone.
Harry Wild, “The Falcon’s Adven-
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180 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
ture,” with Tom Conway, Madge Mere¬
dith.
Victor Milner, “It’s a Wonderful
Life,” (Liberty Films), with James
Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barry¬
more, Thomas Mitchell.
Samuel Goldwyn Prods.
Lee Garmes, “The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty” (Technicolor), with
Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Fay
Bainter, Boris Karloff.
Gregg Toland, “The Best Years of
Our Lives,” with Myrna Loy, Fredric
March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright.
Republic
Archie Stout, “Angel and the Out¬
law,” with John Wayne, Irene Rich, Gail
Russell, Bruce Cabot, Harry Carey.
20th Century-Fox
Leon Shamroy, “Forever Amber,”
(Technicolor), with Peggy Cummins,
Cornel Wilde, Vincent Price, Glenn
Langan, Reginald Gardiner.
Arthur Miller, “The Razor’s Edge,”
with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John
Payne, Anne Baxter, Herbert Marshall,
Anne Revere.
Joe MacDonald, “My Darling Clemen¬
tine^” with Henry Fonda, Linda Dar¬
nell, Victor Mature, Cathy Downs,
Walter Brennan, Ward Bond.
Harry Jackson, “Carnival in Costa
Rica,” (Technicolor), with Dick Haymes,
Celeste Holm, Cesar Romero, Vera-
Ellen.
Glen MacWilliams, “That’s For Me,”
with Vivian Blaine, Harry James, Car¬
men Miranda, Perry Como, Phil Silvers.
United Artists
Karl Struss, “The Short Happy Life
of Francis Macomber,” (Award Prods.),
with Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, Rob¬
ert Preston, Reginald Denny.
Robert Pittack, “Little Iodine,”
(Comet Prods.), with Jo Ann Marlowe,
Marc Cramer, Eve Whitney.
Leo Tover, “Abie’s Irish Rose,”
(Crosby Producers, Inc.), with Joanne
Dru, Michael Chekhov, George E. Stone,
Vera Gordon.
Bert Glennon, “The Red House,”
(Sol Lesser Prods.), with Edward G.
Robinson, Lon McAllister, Allene Rob¬
erts.
Universal
Paul Ivano, “The Black Angel,” with
Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Peter Lorre,
Wallace Ford.
Virgil Miller, “The Michigan Kid,”
(Cinecolor), with Jon Hall, Rita John¬
son, Victor McLaglen, Andy Devine.
Hal Mohr, “Pirates of Monterey,”
(Technicolor), with Maria Montez, Rod
Cameron, Philip Reed.
George Robinson, “Oh Say Can YoU
Sing,” with Shelia Ryan, Fred Brady.
Elwood Bredell, “The Killers,” (Mark
Hellinger Prod.), with Burt Lancaster,
Ava Gardner, Albert Dekker.
Warner Brothers
Sol Polito, “Cloak and Dagger,”
(United States Pictures), with Gary
Cooper, Lilli Palmer, Robert Alda.
Sid Hickox, “Cheyenne,” with Jane
Wyman, Dennis Morgan, Janis Paige.
Arthur Edeson, “Stallion Road,” with
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American Cinematographer • May, 1946
181
Zachary Scott, Ronald Reagan, Alexis
Smith.
Peverell Marley, William Shall, “Life
With Father,” (Technicolor), with Irene
Dunne, William Powell, Elizabeth Tay¬
lor, Zasu Pitts.
Ernest Haller, “Deception,” with Bette
Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains.
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Bell & Howell 1945 Earnings
$1.29 per Common Share
With net sales reaching an all-time
peak of $21,930,971.69 in 1945, despite
heavy cut-backs in government orders
following VJ-Day, Bell & Howell Com¬
pany, Chicago makers of precision pho¬
tographic equipment for 39 years, en¬
joyed the most productive year in its
history it is revealed in its annual report
to stockholders, just released.
According to J. H. McNabb, president
and chairman of the board, net earnings
of the corporation aggregated $672,-
491.35 for the fiscal year ended Decem¬
ber 31, 1945, after provision for Federal
income and excess profits taxes amount¬
ing to $2,065,228.71. After payment of
dividends totaling $77,250 on the cumu¬
lative preferred stock, 414% series, the
net profit was equivalent to $1.29 per
share on the 462,375 shares of common
stock, $10 par value outstanding.
Facilities Greatly Enlarged
Bell & Howell has now exercised its
option to purchase the 2 !4 -million dollar
Lincolnwood plant from the Reconstruc¬
tion Finance Corporation at a price
which has not yet been determined. In
1945, a 25,000 square foot storage ware¬
house was built adjacent to the main
Lincolnwood plant. Now, construction
has begun on a new Lincolnwood factory
building, designated as Plant No. 7, af¬
fording 86,000 additional square feet of
floor space. “With these new plants and
facilities, Bell & Howell will have trebled
its pre-war physical capacity, since both
the Larchmont and Rockwell plants are
to be in full production on new lines of
merchandise,” Mr. McNabb states. Ne¬
gotiations of an international nature,
have greatly augmented previous facili¬
ties also.
Conversations begun in June, 1945, be¬
tween J. Arthur Rank, leading figure in
the British motion picture field, and J. H.
McNabb resulted in the finalizing of
agreements, reported recently, whereby
Bell & Howell, the Rank Companies, and
British Acoustics Films, Ltd. will pool
manufacturing interests to a considera¬
ble extent. This arrangement has con¬
solidated the Bell & Howell position in
international trade, and it is felt that
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such integration will be reflected in sub¬
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performances.
Mobile Service Unit Introduced
In line with the company policy of
making only precision equipment and
maintaining it at maximum efficiency
thereafter, Mrs. McNabb in 1945 inaugu¬
rated a “mobile service unit” system con¬
sisting of completely equipped trailers,
staffed by experts. These units, which
are to be operated by Bell & Howell spe¬
cial representatives in large numbers,
are designed to afford on-the-spot atten¬
tion to owners of Bell & Howell equip¬
ment throughout the country. This in¬
novation has bolstered the firm’s already
efficient service organization, the nucleus
of which is 60 strategically located au¬
thorized service stations and factory
branches.
Company Outlook Told
Regarding the outlook for the photo¬
graphic industry in general, and Bell &
Howell in particular, Mr. McNabb stat¬
ed, in concluding his annual report, “We
believe the photographic industry to be
on the brink of a new peace-time era
which is destined to remove it from the
luxury classification to its rightful posi¬
tion as a basic necessity for home, school,
church, community, and industry.” The
company, he went on to state, “is charted
to a broadened and even higher position
of leadership within this industry than it
has ever before held.”
Hints on Preserving Your
Phonograph Records
As more and more amateur movie
makers are utilizing phonograph records
to provide music background sound ac¬
companiment for personally-made sub¬
jects, the following abstract from the
lecture, “Sound for the Amateur Movie
Maker,” presented by J. C. Vogel at No¬
vember meeting of Metropolitan Motion
Picture Club of New York, is particular¬
ly informative.
Keep your records in album or envelop
to protect them from dust.
Do not use brushes to clean records —
they are apt to leave more dust than they
remove. One authority advises that
dusty records be washed with cold run¬
ning water and dried with a silk cloth.
Do not use lubricants or fluids to pre¬
serve records. They collect dust and ir¬
regularly block up the tiny grooves.
Do not use ordinary phonograph nee¬
dles, cactus, thorn or fibre needles on
home-cut records. Sapphire Stylus is
preferable.
Do not use a heavy pick-up if you ex¬
pect home-cut records to last for some
time. If a heavy pick-up is unavoidable,
use a bent shank playing needle.
Do not store records horizontally in a
pile. Always stand them on edge so that
the weight will not push them together.
Do not store records in excessively hot,
cold, dry or humid places. Store them
where people live. Where people can ex¬
ist, so can records.
182 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 159)
hard taskmaster with a keen apprecia¬
tion of those skills requisite to a first-
class job of cinematography. Bob’s en¬
trance into the camera fraternity had
been entirely too casual to suit the re¬
quirements of the exacting Mr. Brown,
who decided to teach Bob the intricacies
of the business. At Karl Brown’s in-
sistance, and under his helpful guidance,
Bob studied the science of optics, delved
into the chemistry of photography, the
details of laboratory procedure, and any¬
thing else that would give him a greater
knowledge of his chosen profession.
He must have been an apt pupil be¬
cause he remained with Karl Brown for
six years. During those years that cam¬
era team made pictures that have come
to be considered among the milestones
charting the technical and artistic prog¬
ress of the motion picture industry.
•Among them were the James Cruze
epics, including “The Covered Wagon.”
And Bob’s camera was one of those that
photographed “The Ten Command¬
ments” for C. B. DeMille.
The resourcefulness he learned dur¬
ing the years with Brown stood Bob in
good stead on his next picture. In 1926
Karl Brown became a director, and his
first assignment was entitled, “Stark
Love”; which was to be Hollywood’s first
attempt at realism, using what is now
known as “documentary” technique, as
applied to a feature picture. It called for
the use of local talent filmed in in¬
digenous surroundings. The locale was
the South.
With Paul Wing as assistant director
and production manager, Jimmy Murray
and Bob Pittack on the camera, Karl
Brown toured the South getting “Stark
Love.” And, while capturing the natural
reactions of some of the natives in their
natural habitat, gave his crew a terrific
workout and every possible opportunity
to prove their ability to be adaptable.
The fact that most of the “actors” had
never before seen a movie camera didn’t
help. But the high praise the picture re¬
ceived at the time of its screening is
eloquent testimony of the quality of th§
product despite the hazards of produc¬
tion.
When Bob went to Paramount he was
again fortunate to come under the aegis
of two more top-ranking cameramen.
First, he worked with A1 Gilks, A. S. C.,
now Commander Gilks who more re¬
cently did such an outstanding job train¬
ing cameramen for the Navy; then with
Charles Lang, A. S. C., photographing
the Ruth Chatterton pictures. With
Lang he also shot, “Farewell to Arms,”
the Academy Award winner, and “Lives
of a Bengal Lancer.”
When Emanuel Cohen left Paramount
to form his own company, Major Pic¬
tures, he invited Bob to go along as
production cameraman. His first picture,
for Columbia release, was the highly
rated Bing Crosby starrer, “Pennies
from Heaven.”
After a couple of years shooting the
popular Charlie Ruggles and Alice
Brady series Bob went to Metro-Gold-
wyn-Mayer to make shorts and shoot for
second units — assignments that fre¬
quently call for the utmost in skill and
dependability but which result in little,
if any, recognition or critical acclaim.
Then Bob photographed the first pic¬
ture to star Jean Hersholt as Dr. Chris¬
tian, a production that was to launch
that kindly medico to international fame
in radio as well as pictures. He also did
the Bill Bendix and Bill Tracy series for
Hal Roach.
Another independent producer who
has proved time and again that he
knows what’s what at the box office, Ed¬
ward Small, has made good use of the
Pittack talents to assure himself pho¬
tographic excellence for some of his hits.
Bob Pittack is at the peak of his ca¬
reer. His background and experience has
been sufficiently long and varied to give
his work mellowness and authority;
which, coupled with his imaginative ap¬
proach contributes those elements to a
production that a producer has the right
to expect from his Director of Cinema¬
tography.
It is to be hoped that the anticipated
success of “The Sin of Harold Diddle-
bock” will not only assure the movie¬
goers of the world the continued efforts
of those brilliant talents Sturges and
Lloyd, but will also assure Robert Pit¬
tack, A. S. C., continuing recognition as
one of Hollywood’s top-ranking Aces of
the Camera.
SMPE Technical Conference
in New York May 6-10
One of the most informative Technical
Conferences of the Society of Motion
Picture Engineers since the outbreak of
the war will be held at the Hotel Penn¬
sylvania, New York City, May 6th to
10th. In order to accommodate the larg¬
est and most ambitious program of pa¬
pers on new technical and engineering
practices ever conducted on the Atlantic
coast, the meeting has been extended to
five days instead of the customary four.
The important reports and discussions
scheduled for the technical sessions, to¬
gether with resumption of social features
which were omitted at the society’s war¬
time conferences, ai'e expected to bring
together one of the largest and most dis¬
tinguished gatherings of motion picture
engineers and scientists ever assembled.
Special program features which have
been planned, according to William C.
Kunzmann, convention vice-president of
SMPE, include a symposium on new de¬
velopments in color motion pictures, to
be held Monday, May 6, in cooperation
with the Inter-Society Color Council, and
a group of papers on acoustics at a ses¬
sion on Friday, May 10, to which mem¬
bers of the Acoustical Society, opening
its own conferences on that date, will be
invited.
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American Cinematographer • May, 1946
183
Survey Current Color
Processes In England
(Continued from Page 164)
nical perfection and so dominates the
field of commercial colour kinematogra-
phy that any discussion of its disadvan¬
tages or limitations will seem strange.
Yet consideration will show that — no
matter how successful a process may be
when judged as a technical achievement
— factors still remain which are only in¬
directly connected with the technicalities
of any given printing process, but which
nevertheless wield considerable influence
in the sphere of motion picture produc¬
tion.
“For instance, the average cameraman
would rather photograph in colour using
his favorite type of single-film camera
than with a large and complex three-
strip camera, however perfectly the lat¬
ter may be designed and built — and he
would certainly prefer to be relieved of
the everlasting necessity for avoiding
those chance reflections and ‘against the
light’ effects which add so much to his
work in black-and-white, but which are
so dangerous when bi-pack is being ex¬
posed in one gate of a three-colour
camera.
“Most producers, too, would welcome
any process which call for no special
cameras or crews and which could be
processed in any one of several labora¬
tories. Again, the public are not con¬
cerned to learn that an imbibition colour
printing process utilizing three dyes
which closely approach theoretical re¬
quirements and employing silver separa¬
tion negatives obtained directly from the
subject is likely to produce greater ac¬
curacy in colour reproduction than a
multi-layer process depending upon sub¬
tractive primaries whose hue and satura¬
tion leave much to be desired. In fact, it
seems that owing to the abnormal condi¬
tions under which motion pictures are
viewed, a print which would be an accu¬
rate reproduction when measured on a
colorimeter will appear false to the aver¬
age observer when seen on the cinema
screen, while a print which has suffered
degradation or desaturation will often be
accepted as being ‘more natural.’
Bass
pai*s
f- CASH!
-for (lour Camera and
Equipment
I want to buy your
• Contax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
f/fOSS
Camera Co.
179 W. MADISON ST.
CHICAGO 2, ILL.
Technicolor Cameras
“By far the largest proportion of
Technicolor photography is carried out
with the renowned Technicolor camera,
and while it cannot be denied that the
use of such a camera is in many ways
undesirable from the producer’s point of
view, nevertheless many of us will still
admire the initiative and ingenuity which
the design and construction of this cam¬
era certainly represents. It is interesting
to remember that substantially the same
camera as that used in the studios today
was first made and used in 1932. It may
be possible for Technicolor to dispense
with the three-film camera in due course,
but Dr. Kalmus, as recently as 1944, said
that one of the intentions of his company
was to offer for gradual adoption new
and improved Technicolor special cam¬
eras. The colour camera itself is not so
very large, but its triple magazine,
weighing some 70 pounds when loaded,
together with the more powerful motors
which are necessary to drive the two
Mitchell movements and transport the
three films, all add up to a much heavier
and larger outfit than anything used for
black and white work. When the camera
is required to be blimped the problems of
size and weight do become formidable —
CAMERA SUPPLY COMPANY
ART REEVES
1515 North Cahuenga Boulevard
HOLLYWOOD Cable Addre**— Cameras CALIFORNIA
Efficient-Courteous Service New and Used Equipment
Bought — Sold — Rented
Everything Photographic Professional and Amateur
An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals altvays in stock.
the full-sized blimp occupying 16 cubic
feet of studio space. However, in all oth¬
er respects the Technicolor camera and
its associated equipment is extremely
convenient and versatile.
“Despite the difficulties involved in the
design of short focus lenses for use with
the prism system, the camera may be
used with a special wide-angle lens of
the negative telephoto type giving an ef¬
fective focus of 25-mm., and although
this particular film gives some distortion
there are in addition 35-mm., 40-mm.,
100-mm., and 140-mm. lenses available. A
very convenient finder is used with these
lenses, a finder which remains attached
to the camera whether the blimp is being
used or not and which results in the sep¬
aration of the finder lens by only three
or four inches. In Hollywood, eight dif¬
ferent Technicolor camera motors are
available to meet almost any conditions
of shooting, and there are specially de¬
signed units for aerial photography, un¬
derwater work and even a three-film
camera capable of operating at 96
frames per second. The overall speed
rating of a Technicolor camera is prob¬
ably in the neighborhood of Weston 6 to
daylight and to corrected high-intensity
arc-light.
“Recent patent literature shows that
the technicians of Warner Brothers are
concerning themselves with the design of
a three - colour beam-splitter camera
which provides the required set of three
separation negatives on only two lengths
of film. Each of the pull-down move¬
ments is of the ‘double-throw’ type, ex¬
posing only every other frame so that
one of the two films, having been used as
the rear element of the bi-pack, after be¬
ing suitably looped, may be introduced in
the second gate in such a way that the
frames which were not exposed in the
first gate become exposed in the second.
Only half of the total length of the front
film of the bi-pack is used and special
means have to be devised to print the out
of step negatives which result.
“The only indication given regarding
the method of printing which it is pro¬
posed to employ suggests that the ‘silver’
separation negatives will be used to print
simultaneously in register and through
the appropriate filters on to multi-layer
stock of the Kodachrome type. Such a
proposal emphasises the importance
which the patentees attach to the use of
‘silver’ separation negatives as the start¬
ing point in subtractive colour printing.
The Russians built their first three-col¬
our camera in 1936; it is known as
BUY VICTORY BONDS
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Used in Every Major Studio
Illustrated Literature on Request
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 28, Calif.
184 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
ZKS-1, and was made in Leningrad to
the design of A. A. Minn. The camera
employs a prism block beam-splitter and
uses bi-pack in one of the two Mitchell
type gates.
Kodachrome
“Kodachrome was the first successful
multi-layer colour film, and it has been
in continuous use in sub-standard sizes
since 1935. A similar 35-mm. stock, now
known as ‘Monopak,’ seems to be used
solely by Technicolor in normal cameras
as an occasional alternative to their
three-strip method. However, the use of
Kodachrome or ‘Monopak’ does entail a
very complicated chain of processing op¬
erations, and it has recently been stated
that Technicolor’s interest in integral
tri-pack is at present only confined to
the master film because it appears that
three-layer raw material is inherently so
expensive that it could not compete in
cost with Technicolor imbibition prints
for release purposes.
Agfacolor and Ansco Color Stock
“Just at present, many people feel that
the future of colour cinematography
rests with the Agfacolor or Ansco Color
type of process. There is a similarity
between Kodachrome and the Agfa and
Ansco materials in that all of them are
integral tri-packs or monopacks which
automatically separate the image of a
coloured scene when exposed in an ordi¬
nary camera, but after exposure the
similarity ceases, and the two types of
material must undergo entirely different
processing.
“Agfacolor was originally processed by
reversal, and this technique seems to
have been adopted by Ansco in America.
A special soft gradation taking ma¬
terial is used when 35-mm. duplicate
copies are required — the film, while of
the reversal type, has a much lower con¬
trast than the normal reversal and is it¬
self unsuitable for projection. This soft
material is intended to be used as a
‘master’ from which release prints are
made on normal Ansco Color reversal
duplicating stock.
Summing Up
“Some of us believe that if the greatest
accuracy of colour rendering together
with the highest photographic quality
are the primary factors to be considered,
then ‘silver’ separation negatives must
be obtained directly from the subject,
either by means of a suitable three-film
camera or with the aid of a silver image
tri-pack which is integral at the time of
its exposure but which can be separated
during processing. Others claim that the
logical people to shoulder the principal
burden of providing colour are the sensi¬
tive materials manufacturers, who must
be looked to to produce multi-layer ma¬
terials which will permit the use of ordi¬
nary cameras and something like ordi¬
nary processing. However, those who
hold the latter view do not always realise
what immense problems are involved in
the consistent commercial production of
such materials, nor do they always fully
realise their inevitably high cost.
“Certainly we cannot ignore the ‘invi¬
tation’ of Dr. Herbert Kalmus, who as
President and General Manager of Tech¬
nicolor Incorporated and Technicolor,
Ltd., last year found himself in the un¬
usual position of being able to tell his
stockholders that his management ques¬
tioned ‘whether Technicolor might not be
healthier and happier if sound efficient
competition arose to share with it the
programme of serving the industry with
ever-improving colour quality and stead¬
ily lowering costs’.”
New Optical Printing
Enterprise
Donald Manashaw, recently released
from the Navy where he was associated
with the training film and motion pic¬
ture branches as a Lt. Commander, has
launched a 16 mm. optical printing busi¬
ness in Burbank as service for minnie-
film producers. He will specialize in all
phases of optical printing for 16 mm.
as is provided by regular studio depart¬
ments for production.
Special Commendation from
Navy for Leonard Roos, A.S.C.
Leonard Roos, A. S. C., globe trotting
cinematographer, recently received a
special commendation from the Navy,
with the scroll signed by Secretary
James Forrestal and Rear Admiral
Miller. Citation reads: “for outstanding
performance and service rendered to the
United States at war as an accredited
Navy war correspondent.”
EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS.
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
QjL.
if
X
Term Contract for Art Arling,
A.S.C.
Arthur E. Arling has been signed to
a term contract by 20th Century-Fox
studios as a cinematographer specializ¬
ing in color photography. During the
war, Arling was a Lieutenant Com¬
mander in the Navy photographic serv¬
ices, and previously had been a staff
cameraman at Technicolor.
RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
k
Rents . . . Sells , . . Exchanges
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION
of Motion Pictures Provided
by a Veteran Organization
of Specialists
35 mm . 16 mm.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1910
729 Seventh Ave., New York City
Cable Address: RUBYCAM
LENSES for Today
and the Future
B&H-THC Cine Lenses are
not merely ideally corrected
for today’s monochrome and
color work; their design
anticipates the possibility of
future improvements in film
emulsions. Thus they are long¬
time investments. Write for
details.
BELL & HOWELL
COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1848 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaxa
Hollywood: 716 N. La Brea Ave.
Washington, D. C.: 1221 G St., N. W.
London: 13-14 Great Castle St.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • May, 1946
185
Jet Photographic Plane
Being Tested by AAF
America’s first jet photographic air¬
plane, the XFP-80A, is being tested in
photographic flight experiments, officials
of Air Materiel Command, Wright Field,
Dayton, Ohio, announced recently.
A modified P-80, the XFP-80A is being
tested under the joint supervision of the
Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, manu¬
facturers of the plane and AMC. The
tests to date have shown the plane per¬
mits much improved aerial photographs
and greater interchangeability.
Owing to the lack of vibration from
the jet engine, pictures have been taken
from an altitude as high as 35,000 feet
and the results have been astoundingly
clear.
The jet installation in the XFP-80A
affords interchangeability from fighter to
photographic plane with so much ease it
can almost be called a two-in-one plane.
The removal of just four bolts and the
armed nose of the P-80 can be replaced
with the nose containing the cameras of
the XFP-80A. This, plus the relatively
simple job of connecting the camera con¬
trols within the cockpit, is all that need
be done to make the plane ready for
flight as a photographic plane.
A problem presented by the excessive
speed of the P-80 was that of assisting
the pilot in procuring pictures of the
area with which he was concerned. In
answer, a new device called the View
Finder, was designed. This View Finder
is expected to be installed on the XFP-
80A and will work similar to a bomb
sight. Its physical appearance can be
likened somewhat to that of a submarine
periscope.
With the View Finder, no matter how
great the flying speed, the pilot is able
to determine, far in advance of taking
the picture, that he has the particular
area he wishes to photograph in the
sights of the camera lens.
Sound Services. Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORDI NG
FOR SALE
WE BUY, SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT, NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
ING MANUFACTURERS. RUBY CAMERA
EXCHANGE, 729 Seventh Ave., New York City.
Established since 1910.
33 y3 RPM TRANSCRIPTION Record Players,
Amplifier, Speaker, ac/dc, reconditioned, $22.50 ;
Moviola Projector with Translux Screen,
$347.50 ; Eyemos, 2 speed, $225.00 ; 3 speed,
$275.00 ; new 400 ft. 16mm Magazines, $79.50 ;
Simplex Semi-Professional 35mm dual Sound
Projector Outfits (export only), $1,395.00, Akeley
Newsreel Camera with 5 magazines. Gyro
Tripod, 2 Lenses. Motor, $795.00 ; DeBrie Metal
Camera, 6 Magazines, $225.00. Send for Catalog.
S. O. S. Cinema Supply Corp., New York, 18.
BELL & HOWELL Professional camera, rack
over model with Unit Eye Shuttle. 25mm. 40mm,
50mm, 75mm, 150mm all 2.7 lenses, mounted and
calibrated. Four 400 foot magazines, 12 volt
motor with tachometer, Mitchell finder built-in
mattes, Mitchell sunshade, filter holder, Akeley
Gyro tripod, carrying cases. All like new. RUBY
COMPANY, 729 7th Avenue, New York 19, N.Y.
200-FT. CAPACITY, detachable magazine, MORI-
GRAF French-made spring-driven 35mm. cam¬
era, 3-lens revolving turret, direct focusing,
fitted with 28 mm., 40 mm., and 75 mm.
Apochromat F :2 lenses, and 6" F :2.5, 6 maga¬
zines, sound aperture, focus thru ground glass
or thru aperture, parallax finder, complete —
$1050.00
400 ft. inside magazine ASKANIA, hand-
dissolved shutter, direct focus, speed indicator, 3
magazines, 2" and 3" Carl Zeiss F:3.5 lenses,
price, complete . $500.00
Complete range of Astro Pan-Tachar and very
fine Cine lenses.
BASS CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St.,
Chicago 2, Ill.
WE DESIGNED A HI-HAT FOR ARRIFLEX
CAMERAS — USE ON ANY TRIPOD, $27.50
EACH. NEW SPECIALLY DESIGNED 6-12-24
VOLT NON-SPILL LIGHTWEIGHT ‘B’ BAT¬
TERY, RUN ANY CAMERA, WITH CASE,
FROM $35.00. EYEMO MODEL 71AA— 35
MM. FI. 5— 47 MM. F2.5— 100 MM. F4 LENSES.
FILTERS, CASE, EXCELLENT, $450.00. EYE¬
MO— 20 VOLT MOTOR BUILT IN WITH 35
MM. F3.— 50 MM. F4.5— 150 MM. F4.5 LENSES,
CASE, $525.00 COMPLETE. ASKANIA— DE¬
BRIE— DEVRY— AKELEY.
NEW PRESTO DISC RECORDER, 78 and
33-1/3 RPM— MICROPHONE STAND— COM¬
PLETE — IMMEDIATE DELIVERY $352.00.
BELL & HOWELL AND HOLMES 16 MM.
SOUND PROJECTORS.
WE BUY AND TRADE.
CAMERA MART, 70 WEST 45TH STREET,
NEW YORK.
BRAND NEW EASTMAN SPECIAL— 2-200 FT.
magazines, 4 lens. Auricon Recorder. Sam’s
Electric Shop, 35 Monroe St. Passaic, N. J.
FOR SALE: COMPLETE 35mm EDITING
EQUIPMENT— BRAND NEW— 35mm MOVI¬
OLA COMBINATION SOUND AND PICTURE,
MODEL UKS, DUAL REWINDS, METAL
TABLE, SYNCHRONIZER, FLANGES,
SPLICER, FILM BARRELS. WILL CRATE
FOR FOREIGN OR DOMESTIC SHIPMENT.
FILM LIBRARY, RM. 322, FILM EXCHANGE
BLDG., 2310 CASS AVE., DETROIT 1, MICH¬
IGAN.
FOR SALE: NEW 35MM, 2000 ft. DeVry Sound
Projector. Navy Type ‘D,’ Semi-Portable. Ampli¬
fier, Speaker and magazine.
200 ft. Universal 35MM Camera, 6 magazines,
Dissolving shutter. Case. Price $135.00.
400 ft. DeBrie Interview Camera. 6 magazines,
case. Price $150.00.
CAMERA MART, INC., 1610 N. Cahuenga
Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. HE-7373.
WANTED
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL B & H EYEMO DEBRIE AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 19
CABLE: CINEQUIP
WANTED — Commercial photographic equipment,
Goerz lenses, 8x10 Deardorff, 4x5 Speed Graphic,
16mm sound recording equipment, any labora¬
tory or studio equipment. The Warren Corpora¬
tion, 901 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh 12, Pa.
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO-
GRAPHIC. Write ua today. Hollywood Camera
Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
LABORATORY, STUDIO, or Recording Equip¬
ment, Sound Projectors, Cameras, Tripods. Pay
Highest Prices. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY
CORPORATION, NEW YORK 18.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16m/m) R. C. A.
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMSj 1101 North Capitol Street,
Washington, -D.C.
National 16 mm. Exposition
Allied Non-Theatrical Film Associa¬
tion, national trade organization, will
sponsor and stage the first annual trade
show to be entirely devoted to profes¬
sional and commercial 16 mm. movies.
Event will be held at Hotel New
Yorker, New York City, May 9, 10, 11,
with entire mezzanine floor converted
into display booths for exhibition of
equipment and accessories by 66 promi¬
nent manufacturers and producers.
Ampro's 25 Year Men
A. Shapiro, vice president and chief
engineer, and C. Schroeder, shipping
room foreman, were recently honored at
a dinner tendered by their associates
for completion of 25 years of uninter¬
rupted service with the company. Axel
Monson, president and founder of Am-
pro, presented both Shapiro and Schroe¬
der with watches as mementoes of long
and faithful service.
186 May, 1946 • American Cinematographer
ON NEWSREEL assignments or produc¬
tion work, when lighting conditions are
extremely poor, the natural choice is the
high-speed Eastman Super-XX Negative
Film, one of the family of Eastman Films,
industry favorites for more than fifty years.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
J. E. BRULATOUR, INC., Distributors
FORT LEE, CHICAGO, HOLLYWOOD
EASTMAN
SUPER-XX. ..when little light is available
Only Filmo Auto Master
Gives You a 3-Lens Turret Head . . . Plus Magazine
Loading ... in a 16mm Movie Camera
No other 16mm camera gives you all the
advantages of pre-threaded film maga¬
zines in addition to instant positioning
of any one of 3 lenses.
With viewfinder objectives also
mounted on the turret, the viewfinder
field automatically matches the field of
the lens you select. You see what the
lefts sees— instantly. Eye-parallax, the
usual cause of "amputated” pictures, is
eliminated.
Choose the lens you want from a wide
variety — speed, wide-angle, and tele¬
photo lenses ranging from 17mm to
6 inches — all mounted to fit the Auto
Master. And to give you complete ver¬
satility, you have 5 operating speeds,
from normal 1 6 frames per second up
to 64-speed for slow motion.
The film magazine makes it easy to
switch film even in midreel without fog¬
ging a single frame, while the 3-dial
exposure calculator gives instant read¬
ings for 324 lighting conditions.
You just sight, press a button, and
what you see, you get.
FILMO AUTO LOAD
Has all the Auto Master features except the
turret head. Speed range of 8 to 32 frames
per second. Use the 8-speed to shoot a
flaming sunset in color, and then actually
see the sun set on the screen!
See the Auto Master and Auto Load at
your Bell & Howell dealer’s now, or, for
descriptive, fully illustrated booklets, write
Bell & Howell Company, 7148 McCormick
Road, Chicago 43; New York 20; Holly¬
wood 38; Washington 5, D. C.; London.
Hollywood Shows at Home
Supplement your personal films with thou¬
sands in Filmosound Library for recre¬
ation and education . . . rental, sale, or lease.
Write for newest film catalogs, free to users
of motion picture equipment.
Without moving from the spot, shift quickly to a
3-inch lens, and bring your subject closer, like this . . .
Auto Master turret head gives you instant position¬
ing of any one of 3 lenses. The 1-inch lens gives
you the normal field coverage . . .
FILMOSOUND
The war-proved movie equipment
for the complete home. Shows thea¬
ter-quality sound films, as well as
your own personal 16mm movies.
New coated lens, 1,000-watt illumi¬
nation.
Opti-jonics
■UUilJH
r— —I — _■/
/muHowm/
OPTI-ONICS — products combining the sciences
of OPTIcs • electrONics • mechanics
Or, still without changing your own position, use a
6-inch lens, and get a real close-up! No other
1 6mm camera gives you this plus magazine loading!
PRECISION-MADE BY
Bell & Howell
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PROFESSIONAL MOTION PICTURE
EQUIPMENT FOR HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
THE mor/on P/CTURE
w aaafcc'ss.jti. ummi' ... ,
/ J -
pg^^j
/ \ 1
. :Bp f« ^ j \ M
'Xj.'t? *.■ • i? - :.{>’*•;
« V V<^fcW8llf?ljg'' 'V>. tfgb J?
III
EplK%
^ rW»K * r„
ON THE SET or ON LOCATION..
. . . USE DU PONT SUPERIOR 2
Negatives of ideal density are easily obtained throughout a wide
range of lighting conditions with Du Pont Superior 2 ... an all¬
purpose rawstock. You will be gratified with the results which its
extreme wide latitude, speed and fine grain produce.
New York
Hollywood
Chicago
FEATURES AT A GLANCE:
Extreme wide latitude
Color balance
Fine grain
Speed
Excellent flesh tones
Uniformity
Retention of latent image
IeK
4'*-" , Ni\
■
■
• ..
'
mm
Listen to “CAVALCADE OF AMERICA’
— Monday evenings — NBC
BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING
. . . THROUGH CHEMISTRY
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands.
Photo: uncontrolled mosaic,
official U. S. Navy from Acme.
&m<r
Gets the News, Gets It Fast
EYEMO
Is the Camera for
Your Job, Too
EYEMO is a personal camera,
tailor-made to your individual
needs. Seven models, with corre¬
lated accessories, provide a camera
for every field and studio need.
Rugged, fast, accurate, the
35min Eyemo is easy to use, easy
to load, easy to carry and handle.
That’s why most newsreels are
now Eyemo-filmed.
For illustrated literature, write
Bell & Howell Company, 7148
McCormick Road, Chicago 45;
New York 20; Hollywood 38;
Washington 5, D. C.; London.
WHEN THE FIRST WING of B-29’s
lined bombsights on Target
Tokyo in 1944, five of the eight
AAF combat cameramen aloft did
their shooting with Bell & Howell
Eyemo cameras.
In the air and on land and sea,
Eyemos went into combat with
every branch of our fighting forces
— getting the war story as it hap¬
pened, getting it fast, getting it
right. What they saw, they got.
mo 35mm cameras are on the job
the world around with ace news¬
reel men. You can bet they'll be
on the job for the atom bomb
tests at Bikini Atoll.
For Eyemo cameras, precision -
built by the makers of Holly¬
wood’s professional equipment
and proved under every possible
condition of weather and war, guar¬
antee that what you see, you get.
In peace now, as in war, Eye-
OPTI-ONICS — products combining
the sciences of OPTIcs • electrONics
• mechanics
Precision-Made by
Bell & Howell
Since 1907 the Largest Manufacturer of Professional Motion Picture
■ Equipment for Hollywood and the World
. . --
. . i
VOL. 27
JUNE. 1946
NO. 6
CONTENTS
©
Specialized Photography Applied to Engineering in the Armed
Forces . By Major P. M. Thomas and Captain C. H. Coles 195
Cinematographic Magic for “A Stolen Life”. . .By Herb A. Lightman 196
Membership Roll of American Society of Cinematographers . 198
Leonard Smith Re-Elected President of A. S. C . 199
Through the Editor’s Finder . 200
Miniature Camera Models . By Irving Browning 202
Elemental Movie Tricks for the Amateur.. By Phil Tannura, A.S.C. 204
Individual Color Evaluations Vary, Scientist Discloses . 206
Russia Grabs German Agfa Plant, Process, Equipment . 206
Among the Movie Clubs . 208
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members . 220
ON THE FRONT COVER Producer-director Joseph Burne conducts final
rehearsal of a musical number for “Down Missouri Way”— PRC produc¬
tion. Director of Photography Vincent J. Farrar, A. S. C., is at right of the
camera checking the scene.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Garmes Joseph Walker
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A- S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff, A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage, A. S. C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton. A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's. 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices:
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year ; Canada, $2.75
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies, 25c ;
back numbers. 30c ; foreign, single copies 35e,
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
192
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
66
^ Eighty-five percent of
all motion pictures shown
in theatres throughout the
world are photographed
with a Mitchell Camera
THIS new Mitchell background projector is now in production and will soon be
available. Silent and portable, it has been designed to represent the ultimate in
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SPECIALIZED PHOTOGRAPHY APPLIED TO
ENGINEERING IN THE ARMED FORCES
MAJOR P. M. THOMAS and CAPTAIN C. H. COLES
( A. A. F., Special Photographic Services, Wright Field, Ohio )
Historical
Although sporadic attempts had been
made from time to time at Wright Field
to employ the latest methods of photog¬
raphy toward the solution of aircraft
problems, no concentrated effort was
made to press its advantages until the
Photographic Engineering Branch of the
Technical Data Laboratory, Engineering
Division, was organized in the middle
of 1943. Now it has grown to a total
personnel of 65, and has spread into 2
buildings. Its work has been deemed
so important that its program has re¬
mained virtually unchanged since V-J
day.
Organization
The organization gives a good idea of
how a problem is attacked. When a lab¬
oratory on Wright Field requests work
to be done, the Projects Branch sur¬
veys the problem. The varied experi¬
ence of its project engineers is of tre¬
mendous value in deciding a method of
attack. One of these engineers makes
an outline of the essential information
to be obtained, Dr. H. E. Edgerton and
Gjon Mili, staff consulants for this or¬
ganization, may be called in for advice.
(This paper was originally presented at October,
1945 Technical Conference of Society of Motion Pic¬
ture Engineers, and published in March, 1 946 issue
of SMPE Journal. Reprinted by special permission.)
As an example, the Jet Powered Unit
requested that velocity and acceleration
studies be made of the take-offs of the
newly completed American version of the
German V-l flying bomb. A project engi¬
neer flew to the test base where the
launching ramps were under construc¬
tion. He decided that a camera tower
had to be constructed at a certain lo¬
cation and 10-foot distance markers
erected along the launching track. These
were built under his direction.
The project was now turned over to
the Field Branch and a crew was sent
with high-speed motion picture cameras,
batteries, timers, and developing equip¬
ment. The first few take-offs of the ex¬
perimental bombs were filmed and the
records flown back to Wright Field,
where the Analysis Branch took over.
Here the films were studied and velocity
and acceleration curves were drawn
from the information obtained from the
films.
The curves and tables were now re¬
turned to the same project engineer who
initiated the action. From these data he
assembled the final report and submitted
it to the engineers of the Jet Powered
Unit. This completed the job.
An interesting side light on this par¬
ticular project was that the films
showed not only that the first flying
bombs failed to attain adequate speed to
enable them to fly, but also the exact
cause of the failure. It was poor rocket
placement and consequent loss of power
during take-off.
The high-speed photographic equip¬
ment does only a part of the work of
the organization. Special photographic
triangulation methods are employed to
determine the height of aircraft and
bombs at any point, the path of an air¬
plane or falling projectile, the succes¬
sive positions in space of a helicopter
or a parachute.
When existing cameras are inade¬
quate for a required pux-pose, the Instal¬
lation and Fabrication Unit designs its
own or turns its specifications over to a
commercial company. A specially con¬
structed camera of this type is being
used to photograph the indications on
instrument panels during flight tests or
wind-tunnel tests. One of the first to
come off the production line was used
to make the famous pictures of the ex¬
plosion of the first atomic bomb in New
Mexico.
Color photography has grown in im¬
portance as a recording medium for en¬
gineering data. Corrosion, combustion,
color signals, moisture detectors, medi¬
cal subjects, all require color photog¬
raphy for adequate recording. Complex
production graphs and engineering
charts also require color for clai’ity. To
(Continued on Page 212)
Take-off of jet propelled bomb as photographed by automatic camera at Proving Ground.
AAF Special Photographic Services Section, Wright Field, Ohio.
American Cinematographer • June, 1946
195
CINEMATOGRAPHIC MAGIC
FOR
"A STOLEN LIFE"
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
WHEN this year’s Academy
Awards are announced next
March, the leading contenders
for top honors in photographic achieve¬
ment will most certainly include Sol
Polito, A.S.C., and the Warner Bros,
special effects department for their in¬
spired lensing of the newT Bette Davis
starring film, “A Stolen Life.”
This picture is outstanding for sev¬
eral reasons. Firstly, because it is ab¬
sorbing, adult entertainment tastefully
presented; secondly, because it repre¬
sents a forceful blending of all phases
of production. Critics and students of
cinema technique will regard it as a
triumph of cameracraft because of the
many imposing photographic problems
that had to be overcome in order to put
this unusual story on film.
“A Stolen Life” concerns a set of
twins (both played by Bette Davis), one
of whom is a brittle, glittering sophis¬
ticate; the other a sincere, genuine,
rather plain girl who likes to paint. The
two twins appear together in many
scenes throughout the film, and it is in
these dual-role sequences that the pic¬
ture rises into a class by itself. The il¬
lusion of “twins” is perfect, the effect so
convincing that even veteran film tech¬
nicians admit that it has them fooled.
There is absolutely no hint of artificial¬
ity or trick-work in these sequences; on
the contrary, they are executed with in¬
credible smoothness and a complete at¬
mosphere of reality.
Double image effects of this type are,
in principle, not at all new. Back in the
silent film days the illusion was achieved
by means of split-screen photography in
which only half of the film was exposed
at a time, with the actor being photo¬
graphed first on one half of the frame
and then on the other half to give the
ilusion that he wTas acting opposite him¬
self.
Later, this obvious and somewhat
clumsy technique was replaced by the
traveling matte process in which an
actor was first photographed on a full
set with the dialogue and action keyed
to allow for the appearance of his “alter
ego.” Then the same actor would act out
the twin role against a black curtain and
this image would later be superimposed
over the original scene showing the full
set. The traveling matte process was
fairly satisfactory, except for the fact
that the superimposed image frequently
seemed to have a black line around it.
Recently, more convincing techniques
have been perfected, and the ultimate
in double-image illusion has been achiev¬
ed in “A Stolen Life.” In shooting this
picture, cinematographer Sol Polito
crystallized all the advances that had
been made to date in this type of film¬
ing, and added certain refinements of his
own. Discarding both the split-screen
SOL POLITO, A. S. C.
and traveling matte processes, he util¬
ized a method in which the matte work
was done, not in the camera, but in the
special effects lab.
To illustrate the general process used,
let us take for example a scene from
the picture in which Bette Davis is seat¬
ed in a large chair. Her “twin” crosses
the screen and stands behind the chair
talking to her. The scene was first shot
with Miss Davis seated in the chair
while a double went through the actions
FRAME BLOW-UPS from the Warner Brothers production, "A Stolen Life". Left, Bette Davis in her dual role. Right, frame enlargement of one of the most
difficult scenes in the picture. This "dolly shot" was made in front of a process screen with Bette Davis walking a treadmill in front of it. She played the scene
on one half of the frame, then on the other half. Later, the two scenes were optically blended in the special effects lab. Brilliant special effects by Director of
Photography Sol Polito, A. S. C., and his staff produce a perfect illusion of twins.
196
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
DUAL ROLE. Bette Davis on left as PATRICIA BOSWORTH — a ruthless, glittering sophisticate who steals her twin sister's man. Right, as KATE BOSWORTH —
a sincere, repressed, rather plain girl who likes to paint.
of the twin sister. Then another take
was made of the same scene; this time
with the double seated in the chair and
Miss Davis taking the part of the other
twin. In the special effects lab, the parts
of both scenes which showed the double
were masked out by means of irregular
mattes, and the parts showing Miss
Davis were then fitted together like an
animated jig-saw puzzle, resulting in the
illusion that she was playing opposite
herself.
In executing this effect the camera
had to be securely clamped in place so
that the backgrounds would match when
the two fragments of the scene were
printed together. Dialogue was keyed by
means of a playback recording so that
all of the action of both twins could
be synchronized. The use of a double in
parts of the scene to be masked out
allowed her shadow to fall naturally
about the set, and gave Miss Davis a
chance to react normally to the dialogue
and movements of another person.
In previous dual-role films, the actor
playing the double part was greatly re¬
stricted in his movements. He had to re¬
main more or less static and could not
approach too closely to his “other self.”
As far as his overlapping himself bodily
was concerned, that was out of the ques¬
tion. In “A Stolen Life,” all of these
former restrictions have been done
away with. The two Bette Davises move
freely about with one another, one
walking in front of the other. They lie
down very close together on the same
bed; one twin touches the other. They
cast realistic shadows, and give the per¬
fect illusion of an actual set of twins.
Several scenes presented technical
problems that would have seemed to be
insurmountable, but Polito and his as¬
sistants took them all in stride and pro¬
duced admirable results. For instance,
one scene called for a dolly shot of the
twins walking down a long wharf. In the
background crowds of people were mill¬
ing about, crossing the set behind the
two walking figures, and creating a good
deal of background movement. This
scene was shot in front of a process
screen with Miss Davis on a treadmill
to simulate the walking action. Sepa¬
rate takes were made of her on each
side of the screen and the two were
blended in the special effects lab. But be¬
cause the background was moving, ex¬
treme care had to be taken to make sure
that the background action on both
halves would match. Here the blending
had to be synchronized down to the last
frame, and operation of the rear pro¬
jector had to be absolutely consistent.
A good deal of mathematics and timing
entered into the process.
In another scene Miss Davis lights a
cigarette for her twin, smoothes her
hair, etc. This was executed by having
Miss Davis play the scene opposite a
double who lit her cigarette and per¬
formed other actions at close range.
Later, in the lab, just the double’s face
was masked out and Miss Davis’ head
was literally placed on her shoulders.
Sometimes in complicated scenes in
which the twins appeared together, as
many as five different irregularly shaped
mattes were used to properly match the
action. Naturally, all action of this type
had to be closely keyed and rehearsed to
fit the pace and tempo of the scene.
Moreover, from the cameraman’s point
of view it was essential that the light¬
ing and exposure on both halves of the
scene be identical.
Polito emphasizes the fact that the
final results produced were no one-man
accomplishment. He is indebted to his
assistants and to the Warner Bros, spe¬
cial effects department, with special cred¬
it going to Art Director Robert Haas
and to Russell Codings. A.S.C., for his
precise and painstaking work in opti¬
cally blending the component parts of
the dual-action scenes. It was Codings
who created the many mattes that were
used, matched the halves of the frames
optically, and supervised the printing of
the composite scenes.
When Polito had finished shooting a
greater share of the film, he was suddenly
taken id with appendicitis, and Ernest
Haller, A. S. C., stepped in to take over
the photographic reins and complete
lensing of the picture. Haller’s han¬
dling of the storm sequence is especially/
noteworthy. He captured a frightening¬
ly real feeling of horror at sea, an effect
brilliantly aided by the work of William
McGann, E. Roy Davidson, and Willard
(Continued on Page 210)
American Cinematographer • June, 1946
197
Membership Roll of
RESIDENT MEMBERS
L. B. Abbott
David Abel
John Alton
Wesley Anderson
Lucien Andriot
Arthur Arling
John Arnold
Jerome H. Ash
Joseph August
Lucien Ballard
George Barnes
R. O. Binger
Charles P. Boyle
John W. Boyle
Elwood Bredell
Norbert Brodine
James S. Brown, Jr.
Robert Burks
Walter Castle
Philip Chancellor
Dan B. Clark
Charles G. Clarke
Wilfrid Cline
Russell Collings
Stanley Cortez
Ray Cory
Edward Cronjager
John Crouse
Floyd Crosby
Russell A. Cully
Wm. H. Daniels
Mark Davis
Faxon Dean
Robert deGrasse
Clyde DeVinna
Wm. H. Dietz
E. B. DuPar
Max B. DuPont
Elmer Dyer
Paul E. Eagler
Arthur Edeson
A. Farciot Edouart
Max Fabian
Daniel L. Fapp
Vincent Farrar
Ray Fernstrom
Frank Finger
Rolla Flora
George J. Folsey, Jr.
Ray Foster
Henry Freulich
Karl Freund
John P. Fulton
Glen Gano
Lee Garmes
Gaetano Gaudio
Merritt B. Gerstad
James Gordon
Alfred L. Gilks
W. Howard Greene
Jack Greenhalgh
Loyal Griggs
Burnett Guffey
Carl Guthrie
Harry Hallenberger
Ernest Haller
Sol Halperin
Edwin Hammeraas
Ralph Hammeras
Russell Harlan
Byron Haskin
Sid Hickox
Winton Hoch
David S. Horsley
James Wong Howe
Roy Hunt
Allan E. Irving
Paul Ivano
Fred H. Jackman, Jr.
Fred W. Jackman
Harry A. Jackson
H. Gordon Jennings
J. Devereux Jennings
Ray June
the American Society
W. Wallace Kelley
Glenn Kershner
Benj. H. Kline
Lloyd Knechtel
H. F. Koenekamp
Milton Krasner
Charles B. Lang, Jr.
Joe LaShelle
Ernest Laszlo
Charles C. Lawton, Jr.
Paul K. Lerpae
Marcel LePicard
Lionel Lindon
Harold Lipstein
Arthur Lloyd
Walter Lundin
Warren E. Lynch
Joe MacDonald
Jack MacKenzie
Glen MacWilliams
Fred Mandl
J. Peverell Marley
Charles A. Marshall
Harold J. Marzorati
Rudolph Mate
Ted McCord
George B. Meehan, Jr.
Wm. C. Mellor
John J. Mescall
R. L. Metty
Arthur Miller
Virgil Miller
Victor Milner
Hal Mohr
Ira H. Morgan
Nick Musuraca
Harry C. Neumann
L. Wm. O’Connell
Roy Overbaugh
Ernest Palmer
Harry Perry
Gus C. Peterson
R. W. Pittack
Robert H. Planck
Franz Planer
Sol Polito
Gordon B. Pollock
Frank Redman
Ray Rennahan
Irving Ries
Irmin Roberts
George H. Robinson
Len H. Roos
Jackson Rose
Charles Rosher
Harold Rosson
Joseph Ruttenberg
Chas. Salerno, Jr.
George Schneiderman
Charles Schoenbaum
John Seitz
Leon Shamroy
Henry Sharp
William A. Sickner
Allen Siegler
Wm. V. Skall
Jack Smith
Leonard Smith
Edward Snyder
Wm. E. Snyder
Theodor Sparkuhl
Ralph Staub
Mack Stengler
Archie J. Stout
Clifford Stine
Harry Stradling
Walter Strenge
Karl Struss
Robert L. Surtees
Philip Tannura
J. O. Taylor
Ted Tetzlaff
Stuart Thompson
Robert Tobey
of Cinematographers
Gregg Toland
Leo Tover
Thomas Tutwiler
Joseph Valentine
James C. Van Trees
Paul C. Vogel
Josef von Sternberg
Sidney Wagner
Joseph Walker
Vernon Walker
Albert Wetzel
Lester White
Harry Wild
Wm. N. Williams
Rex Wimpy
Frank Young
NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS
Charles E. Bell
Georges Benoit
O. H. Borradaile
J. Burgi Contner
Norman Dawn
John Dored
Jos. A. Dubray
Frank L. Follette
Charles Harten
Reed N. Haythome
Charles W. Herbert
John L. Herrmann
Eric Horvitch
Alfred Jacquemin
Leo Lipp
Don Malkames
Louis Page
Paul Perry
Carl Pryer
Robert Sable
James Seeley
William Steiner, Jr.
Prasart Sukhum
Nicolas Toporkoff
Frank C. Zucker
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Simeon Aller
Edger Bergen
Louis A. Bonn
George A. Cave
George Crane
Edward P. Curtis
Ralph Famham
Fred W. Gage
A. J. Guerin
Emery Huse
Lloyd A. Jones
Wilson Leahy
Sidney Lund
Frank McIntyre
J. H. McNabb
Dr. C. E. K. Mees
Lewis L. Mellor
Peter Mole
Hollis Moyse
Dr. W. B. Rayton
Elmer C. Richardson
Park J. Ries
Dr. V. B. Sease
Dr. James S. Watson, Jr.
James R. Wilkinson
PAST MEMBERS
John T. Hickson
G. Floyd Jackman
Sam Landers
Douglas Shearer
HONORARY MEMBERS
E. O. Blackburn
J. E. Brulatour
A. S. Howell
Lt. Colonel David MacDonald
G. A. Mitchell
MEMBERS IN THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES
Maj. Gilbert Warrenton
Lt. Dewey Wrigley
198 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS for the coming year. Seated (left to right): Sol Polito, Lee Garmes, President
Leonard Smith, George Folsey, William Ska 1 1 , Arthur Edeson. Standing (left to right): Second Vice-President Charles Rosher, First Vice-President Leon Shamroy,
Gordon Jennings, Secretary Ray Rennahan, Sergeant-at-Arms John Boyle. Other board members not shown include: Fred Jackman, Executive Vice-President and
Treasurer, Third Vice-President Charles Clarke, John Seitz, and Joseph Walker.
LEONARD SMITH RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF
AMERICAN SOCIETY CINEMATOGRAPHERS
LEONARD SMITH was re-elected
President of the American Society
of Cinematographers at annual
election of the organization last month.
Smith will lead the Society during the
coming year for his fourth consecutive
term.
Fred W. Jackman was re-elected Ex¬
ecutive Vice President and Treasurer,
continuing the dual responsibilities
which he has held for several years.
Leon Shamroy, Charles Rosher, and
Charles G. Clarke were selected to serve
as First, Second, and Third Vice Pres¬
idents, respectively; while Ray Renna¬
han was re-elected Secretary, and John
Boyle elected Sergeant-at-Arms.
Arthur Edeson, George Folsey, and
Jackman were re-elected as members of
the Board of Directors; with Gordon
Jennings and Charles Rosher voted to
serve on the latter body.
Veterans of Cinematography
Members of the A. S. C. Board of Di¬
rectors for the coming year will com¬
prise: John Boyle, Charles G. Clarke,
Arthur Edeson, George Folsey, Lee
Garmes, Fred W. Jackman, Gordon
Jennings, Sol Polito, Ray Rennahan,
Charles Rosher, John Seitz, Leon Sham¬
roy, William V. Skall, Leonard Smith,
and Joseph Walker.
All of the officers and board members
are outstanding cinematographers of 20
years experience or more in the film in¬
dustry. Many have won Academy
Awards for black-and-white and color
cinematography, while others have pro¬
ductions on the Academy nominations
list each year.
Post War Plans for Progress
With new equipment, film stocks, and
techniques expected to be available
shortly, leaders of the A. S. C. are map¬
ping a complete and comprehensive pro¬
gram for the organization to assist in
the testing of such new materials and to
make results and findings available to
the collective membership. Along these
lines is the proposal to install a techni¬
cal and research building on the present
A. S. C. property whereby members —
either individually or in groups — will
have facilities for experimenting with
new techniques or processes for the ad¬
vancement of cinematography.
President’s Message
President Smith, in continuing to lead
the A. S. C. for the fourth year, stated:
“I am grateful to the membership for
honoring me to again lead the organiza¬
tion — which is the greatest and most
progressive camera group in the world.
Assisted by such a fine and representa¬
tive group of cinematographers as rep¬
resented in the Board of Directors, I am
certain that we start on the second
quarter-century of operation with bright¬
est outlook for even more startling ad¬
vances in the art and technique of cine¬
matography.”
AMONG OFFICERS WHO WILL LEAD A. S. C. this year are (left to right): John Boyle, Sergeant-atArms;
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President; Leonard Smith, President; Ray Rennahan, Secretary, and Charles Rosher,
Second Vice-President. Fred Jackman continues as Eecutive Vice-Presidnt, and Charles Clarke holds post of
Third Vice-President.
American Cinematographer • June, 1946
199
THROUGH the EDITOR'S FINDER
THE twenty-fifth anniversary cele¬
bration of the founding of the
American Society of Cinematographers,
which will be held as an all-industry
affair in the Cocoanut Grove of the
Ambassador hotel, Los Angeles, on the
evening of June 17th; looms as one of
the greatest and most representative
events of its kind to be presented by
Hollywood craftsmen.
Associated artists and technicians of
the industry and studios are enthusias¬
tic in extending congratulations and co¬
operation for the silver anniversary
event of the cinematographers, who —
down through the years- — have contrib¬
uted so largely to the artistic and tech¬
nical advances of the motion picture in¬
dustry.
Guest speakers will include: Governor
Earl Warren of California; Louis B.
Mayer, head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
studios; Darryl F. Zanuck, production
chief of 20th-Fox studios; and pioneer
producer-director Cecil B. De Mille.
Eric Johnston, president of Motion Pic¬
ture Association of America, will also
deliver a brief address if he is on the
coast at the time of the event.
Top entertainers of the films and
radio will appear to entertain the mem¬
bers and guests, which are expected to
tax the capacity of the large and world-
renowned Cocoanut Grove.
Cameramen Always For Progress
IME Magazine of April 22, 1946,
in quoting excerpts of an interview
of Emil Ludwig with a Paris publica¬
tion in which he derides various groups
in Hollywood film production activities;
did, however, include Ludwig’s lauda¬
tory comment that “cameramen . . . are
the only group whose members have
learned their trade.” Although Ludwig
was only in Hollywood for a relatively
brief period, he was certainly most ob¬
servant in the qualifications and capa¬
bilities of the cinematographers he wit¬
nessed working on the studio stages or
on locations.
Down through the years, it is an in¬
disputable fact that the cinematograph¬
ers — both individually and collectively —
have been the most progressive and in-
ventitiv eartists engaged in motion pic¬
ture production. Their enthusiasm and
inventiveness for practical uses of the
camera, lights, and other accessories
connected with motion picture photo¬
graphy; and probings for new uses of
such tools, is all intimately wrapped up
in the advanec of the artistic and tech¬
nical progress of film production.
Cameramen composed the initial group
of production craftsmen who met to
form an organization for mutual ben¬
efit and the advancement of photo¬
graphic techniques as a whole. This was
back in the days prior to 1915, when
the bulk of motion pictures was lim¬
ited to one, two and three reel subjects.
Out of the two original organizations
of cameramen — informal setups in New
York and Los Angeles — finally emerged
the American Society of Cinematog¬
raphers, now into the second quarter
century of operation and accomplish¬
ment.
Just as important as the A. S. C.
members who function as Directors of
Photography on productions, is that
large group on the A. S. C. roster who
function in the process and special ef¬
fects departments of the studios and
producing companies. Continually work¬
ing to invent and devise new and more
economical procedures to create photo¬
graphic realism and thrills for pictures,
and still always bending to reduce pro¬
duction costs for the company.
Special effects and process is most
intriguing in both practices and achieve¬
ments, which is probably major great
reason why many cinematographers in
that field pass up opportunities to as¬
sume charge of regular productions.
A. S. C. Members at Bikini
BRIEF word comes from the Mar¬
shall Islands that five members of
the American Society of Cinematograph¬
ers — Art Lloyd, Tom Tutwiler, Harry
Perry, Paul Perry, and Major Gilbert
Warrenton— are fairly comfortably in¬
stalled in quonset huts at Bikini, and
hard at it in directing preparations for
the aerial photography operations which
are designed to be a most important fac¬
tor in the atom bomb demonstration to
be staged by combined organizations of
the United States Navy and Army in
July in the Pacific. The aerial photo¬
graphy program is most complete in
scope, combining camera planes of many
types and descriptions, including radar-
controlled planes with cameras that will
turn on automatically over various ships
and targets to prevent hazardous flights
of pilots and cameramen over the tar¬
get area.
The five A. S. C. members engaged
in the most important demonstration are
not only outstanding cinematographers
— each with wide experience in Holly¬
wood production — but recent officers with
either the Signal Corps or AAF photo¬
graphic units during the war. Major
Warrenton is still on active duty with
the AAF.
FRED JACKMAN, re-elected Executive Vice-President and Treasurer of the American Society
of Cinematographers for the ensuing year.
200
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
LUCKY YOU!
In These Days
When The Best of Everything
Is Hard to Find —
YOU REALLY ARE LUCKY
Because You Can Still Qet
Your Favorite Film
EASTMAN
PLUS X
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Miniature Camera Models
PFC Gerald R. Olson's Hobby
By IRVING BROWNING
THE greatest diversion in a human
life is a hobby, and those who in¬
dulge in one will agree with me. I
am a hobbyist collector and collect every¬
thing movie, even to the magic lantern. I
now have enough objects to start and fill
a museum. Then, I have a still camera
collection which includes all sorts of
miniature cameras. Also, I have a col¬
lection of unusual lenses and shutters,
but this tale is not about my collecting
of hobbies but of another unusual hobby,
which came about from tinkering in
spare time to be practically a paying
business.
This hobbyist, Pfc. Gerald R. Olson
found his hobby in his love for his work
in movies, in which he spent many years
in Hollywood. He is now at the Photo¬
graphic Center of the Signal Corps in
Long Island City, New York.
Olson makes interesting objects of his
own fancy and he has a particular inter¬
est in the Mitchell camera. One day he
was toying with bits of wood and out
comes a Mitchell camera in miniature.
This hobby was developed by his desire
to make a suitable gift to the Post Com¬
mander, for his personal appreciation for
him, so when he completed his first
model, he presented it to Col. R. C.
Barrett, Commander of the Signal Corps
Photographic Center.
Pfc. Gerald R. Olson is a member of
Local 44, Hollywood Studio Technicians.
He worked at the miniature department
of M. G. M. Studios before he entered the
service and has been doing miniature
work at the Photographic Center, just as
he did at M. G. M.
Olson was born in St. Paul in 1911, en¬
tered high school and was interested in
art. He won the second prize in a con¬
test which included one year’s tuition in
the St. Paul Art Institute. He left art
school to paint in oil and then became in¬
terested in modeling, and because of his
further interest in aircraft; he has mod¬
eled many types of aircraft.
His background is interesting too. His
mother was an interior decorator and he
worked with her for a while. Then in¬
terior decorating became his great aim
and he expects to return to that field be¬
cause he prefers set designing and deco¬
rating as a profession.
In 1933 he went to Hollywood hoping
to get into the drapery department but
was successful in getting a job in the
miniature department instead. He work¬
ed under Dave Vail at M. G. M.; he also
worked for the Lyedecker Brothers at
Republic Studios. In 1942 he went into
the Signal Corps at Astoria in the dra¬
pery and upholstery department. During
the war the Signal Corps was producing
morale films for the Army and in spite of
all the fine subjects that were made
there, Olson continued to spend his spare
time at his hobby of making miniature
cameras.
When the cameramen at the Center
saw the first model, there were so many
requests for them that Olson took orders
and began to work on ten cameras at a
time and they went like the proverbial
“hot cakes.” There were many Hollywood
cameramen at the Center who had work¬
ed with the Mitchell camera and each
one wanted to own a miniature.
Each and every camera miniature re¬
quires practically thirty hours of Olson’s
time to complete, and the only periods he
has to give to making them is his spare
lunch-time and evenings.
I have seen the Mitchell miniature and
from the photographic illustrations on
these pages, one can see the minutest de¬
tails have been carefully executed and
every item built to scale. To hold a
model in one’s hand is to practically be¬
lieve that the miniature can run. They
Mitchell camera miniature made to scale by Pfc.
Olson, is 14 inches high from base and complete
with finder, motor, and lense mounts which are
proportionately 35-50-75-100 mm.
are so true to the original, in fact, Olson
says that people who see the model, in¬
variably inquire whether it has a mech¬
anism. These miniatures are made en¬
tirely of wood — even the sunshade, bel¬
lows and lens mounts which look like
metal, are wood.
Hobbies can bring profit as well as
pleasure and Olson says that he will
make them as long as cameramen and
others request them; most cameramen
delight in owning a miniature.
What an “Oscar” Olson’s miniature
Mitchell camera would make for Photog¬
raphic awards!
(All rights reserved by the author, including the
right to reproduce this article or portions thereof, in
any form.)
PFC. OLSON
(left) at work on model of a 120mm. anti-aircraft gun which was used in training film on anti-aircraft. In center is completed gun model,
of wood, tin and zinc. At right are shown models of six-and-a-ha If ton Army Prime Mover and barrage balloon, also made by Olson.
fashioned
202 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Elemental Movie Tricks For
The Amateur
By PHIL TANNURA, A. S. C.
(Editor’s Note: Because of the numerous re¬
quests of amateur movie makers for information
on simple trick and process photography which
can be accomplished without the necessity of the
expensive special effects equipment employed in the
Hollywood studios; we are reprinting major por¬
tions of article by Phil Tannura, A.S.C., originally
published in July, 1944, issue of AMERICAN
CINEMATOGRAPHER.)
Reverse Action
NE of the easiest of all camera
tricks — and one of most help for
slapstick comedy — is reverse action
in which everything appears to happen
in reverse: men run backward, auto¬
mobiles glide ghostlike backwards around
a curve through traffic, or water comes
out of a glass into a pitcher.
If you have a camera with a crank,
you get this reverse result by cranking
the film backwards. If you have a
spring-driven camera you simply hold
the camera upside-down when shooting.
Then after your film is developed, cut
out the scene and replace it in the reel
right side up. You do this by turning
it end for end.
Simple, isn’t it?
I recommend this only in the case of
16mm, and not for 8mm, because the
smaller film has only one row of sprock¬
et holes when ready for projection, and
when the film is reversed end-for-end
the emulsion side is turned away from
the lens and throws the picture out of
focus.
Making People Disappear
Another simple, yet effective, trick is
stopping the camera to make people and
inanimate objects appear and disappear.
Never try to do this unless you have
your camera on a tripod. It is also im¬
portant that you have as near static a
background as possible, and for your
actors to hold a given position while the
camera is stopped.
In achieving this effect you film your
scene normally up to the point where
you want a person or object to vanish
or appear. At that point you tell your
players to “freeze” in their positions as
you stop your camera. While the camera
is stopped you remove whatever you
wish to vanish. Then you continue the
normal filming of your scene.
Much fun can be obtained by the sub¬
stitution of one object for another, such
as replacing a cup of tea with a bottle
of beer, or a Ford sedan for a Rolls
Royce. Try it out and you will have real
fun after you have practiced it a few
times.
Bombing Effects
Some ambitious amateur may want to
make a picture showing the effect of a
bomb or other explosion in a house.
This can be done with a minimum of
danger to your furniture and with great
screen effectiveness without wrecking
your room.
Just place a metal pan on the floor
close in front of the camera. In the pan
put a little old-fashioned flash powder.
When you are ready for your explosion
ignite the flash powder. When the
smoke from the powder has obscured
the camera’s view, stop the camera.
Then you scatter the furniture around
to suit your fancy. Break lamps or
glassware, or do what you want. When
your room suits you, ignite some more
flash powder in the pan, and as the
smoke is clearing resume filming. On the
screen you will see the flash of an ex¬
plosion, a huge cloud of smoke, fol¬
lowed by a wrecked room. It’s really
very simple.
Distortion
If you wish to get a shot of a scene
or individual slowly becoming blurred
and distorted you do it this way.
Put a piece of optically flat glass (the
type good filters are made of) in your
filter holder or matte box. Start shoot¬
ing your scene normally through this
glass. When you want the distortion to
start you simply spread some warm
sweet oil along the top of the piece of
glass and continue filming. The oil will
flow down over the glass and as it does
the scene becomes more and more dis¬
torted.
Some excellent nightmare scenes, or
scenes such as an inebriated gentleman
might see, can be obtained in this sim¬
ple manner.
Making a Train Wreck
If you would like to make a picture
of a railroad train leaving the tracks
you can do it quite easily — and without
wrecking the train.
Set up your camera on a tripod at a
spot where you know the train is going
to stop, with your camera placed so the
engine will fill the frame when the train
stops. As the train approaches begin
shooting. Then, just as the engine com¬
pletely fills the frame and stops, you
jerk one of the tripod legs suddenly
sideways and continue shooting. When
you see it on the screen it will look as
though the engine had come right off the
track.
You can add other shots of the cars,
making them look as though they were
piling up, too. BUT, remember this: in
making these shots you must have your
camera at angle which does not show
the ground.
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June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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KEEP YOUR EYE ON ANSCO— FIRST WITH THE FINEST
Individual Color Evaluations
Vary, Scientist Discloses
THERE’S a wide difference in color
evaluations by individuals. This
fact was disclosed by Dr. I. H.
Godlove, color scientist of central re¬
search laboratories of General Aniline
and Film Corporation in paper presented
at semi-annual technical conference of
Society of Motion Picture Engineers in
New York last month. Dr. Godlove ex¬
plained that you cannot hope to “see eye-
to-eye” with your wife, business associ¬
ates, or anyone else unless you and
they have the same visual response to
different color mixtures in the light by
which you observe a colored object.
Particularly Applicable to Color Films.
In the filming and processing of mo¬
tion pictures, it was pointed out, this
varying color response of the human
eye requires constant study and atten¬
tion, since color in a motion picture may
be viewed by thousands of persons. To
satisfy the color appreciation of movie¬
goers and amateur movie enthusiasts —
as well as buyers of fabrics and other
consumer goods — producers of these look
increasingly to science for the means of
achieving the best color characteristics
for the average eye.
“One person of normal vision may re¬
quire 30 percent of red light and 70
percent of green light to match a given
yellow,” Dr. Godlove stated, “While this
proportion may have to be reversed to
enable another person of normal vision
to make the same match. Moreover,
blue-eyed and brown-eyed persons match
colors differently. The blue-eyed match
colors at one end of the color spectrum,
and the brown-eyed at the other end.
The match made by the blue-eyed looks
DECLARING that top motion pic¬
ture technicians in Germany are
receiving very attractive offers
from the Soviet Government for employ¬
ment of their skills in Moscow, Nathan
D. Golden, chief of the Motion Picture
Section of the U. S. Department of Com¬
merce, said at the technical conference
of the Society of Motion Picture Engi¬
neers in session last month at the Hotel
Pennsylvania, New York that Hollywood
may expect serious competition from
Russia in the film markets of Europe,
Asia, and perhaps even in South
America.
Head of a Department of Commerce
investigating mission which presented a
report on the German Agfa Color Film
Process at a session of the S.M.P.E.
conference, Mr. Golden said the Rus¬
sians are now turning out about four
times as much color film at the Agfa
terrible to the brown-eyed, and vice
versa.”
Color Corrections
Color is a hybrid, Dr. Godlove said,
and the job of the colorist is to cor¬
relate the two extremes of color stim¬
ulus and color preception by means of
the intermediate — the hybrid color. He
hailed the advance in color science which
has enabled trained specialists in this
field to devise color scales which solved
a wide variety of consumer color prob¬
lems. These color scales conform to what
the average layman sees, thus crystaliz-
ing and making more definite the con¬
sumer’s way of seeing and thinking
about color.
Spectral Energy Important
Addressing the same session of the
SMPE conference, Ralph M. Evans of
Eastman Kodak Co., said that not only
the color, but als© the spectral energy
distribution of the light source effects
the colors obtained in motion pictures.
For example, he said, a red object may
photograph red with a given source of
light — while another light source, which
matches the first one visually but has
a different distribution of energy at the
different wave lengths, the object may
photograph green. Though the human
eye adapts to the color of the light
source, he said, this adaptability does
not overcome the effect of differences in
energy distribution.
Films made for indoor photography
are balanced for tungsten light, Mr.
Evans pointed out, and adjustments are
required to obtain satisfactory results
with any light source having a much
different distribution of special energy.
Film Factory, at Wolfen, Germany, as
the Germans did during the war.
Amplifying his statement that Rus¬
sian offers are being received by Ger¬
man experts in this field, Mr. Golden
said it is likely that many of them will
go to Moscow, “willing or otherwise.”
A substantial amount of technical
equipment has also been obtained by the
Russians from studios in those sections
of Middle Europe which are under Soviet
control, he said. At UFA’S Templehof
Studios and their new Babelsberg Stu¬
dios, both in Berlin, and at the Rosen-
hugel and Sievering Studios of the Wein
Film Company, in Vienna, he declared,
“the Russians left nothing but the knobs
on the doors.”
Producers in Vienna and Prague have
recently complained that some of the
film they are now receiving from the
Agfa film factory is brittle or otherwise
defective, Mr. Golden said, and sabotage
is suspected in some quarters.
He reported that the studios at
Prague, now being operated by the Rus¬
sians, contain three of the finest stages
in the world. Built by the Germans in
1942, two of these stages are 30 by 40
meters in size, and the third is 30 by
50 meters.
Presenting the report that the Depart¬
ment of Commerce investigating team
which recently returned from Germany,
Harold C. Harsh, of Ansco, who was a
member of the team, revealed that the
bull-headedness of the Nazi Propaganda
Ministry hastened an important advance
in German cinematography which may
benefit Hollywood and the American
movie-goer.
A very significant “first” in the his¬
tory of photography was established, ac¬
cording to the report, when the German
motion picture industry applied the Ag-
facolor negative-positive method to the
production of feature pictures in full
color during the war, using monopack
film for the first time for both taking
and release printing of a 35mm. feature.
“With the beginning of the war, and
with no prospect of color motion pic¬
ture imports from abroad,” Mr. Harsh
said, “the UFA and other studios were
instructed by the German Propaganda
Ministry to proceed with the production
of feature-length color motion pictures
using the Agfacolor negative-positive
method.
“During our interview with the UFA
people, it was indicated that they had
not considered the method ready for fea¬
ture productions, and proceeded only be¬
cause of the government directive.”
The result of this compulsory and
supposedly premature application of the
method, however, was the outstanding
development in the field of photography
in Germany during the war, Mr. Harsh
said.
Fundamentally, he said, the method is
based on the use of non-diffusing color
components in the emulsion layers of a
monopak film which, when developed by
a special color-forming developer, yields
azomethine and quinomine dye images
in suit with silver images. The latter
are removed during the processing by
bleaching.
The method of preventing diffusion of
the color components is a patented proc¬
ess which consists in producing dye
coupling components that contain a long
hydrocarbon chain radical as a part of
the molecule, in such a position that
it does not interfere to any great extent
with the coupling reactivity.
Between 1940 and 1945, Mr. Harsh
said, that the Germans used this process
in making thirteen feature-length films
and about 50 short subjects. Parts of
most of the features were viewed by the
Department of Commerce mission, he
said, and while the overall impression
was that the screen quality was inferior
to the established American standard,
some portions were particularly impres¬
sive for the sharpness of the screened
picture.
Russia Grabs German AGFA
Plant, Process, Equipment
206 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Metropolitan Club
Metropolitan Motion Picture Club of
New York City is fast stepping up ac¬
tivities and various types of meetings
for benefit of members. At May 10th
meeting, held at Hotel Pennsylvania,
film program included: “Redouble
Trouble,” by Walter Bergman, which
won first prize in Mount Vernon Movie
Makers contest; “Trees That Grow in
Brooklyn,” by Leo J. Heffernan; “In His
Own Judgement,” by Joseph J. Harley,
winner of the 1944 Hiram Percy Maxim
Award; and “Lip Synchronization” with
the “Movie-Sound 8,” a special demon¬
stration by Lloyd Thompson of the Calvin
Company.
Hunter Playhouse was the setting for
the thirteenth annual Gala Night of
Metropolitan on May 16th; at which time
a specially selected program of out¬
standing amateur films were screened
for members and guests. Sixteen milli¬
meter pictures were shown on full size
theatrical screen, with projection via a
3,000 watt arc projector. Subjects on the
program included: “Interlude in Sun¬
light,” by Martin Drayson; “The Inside
Story,” by Dan Billman, Jr., “Land
Snakes Alive,” by Leo Helfernan; “The
Dizzy Top,” by Ryne Zimmerman; and
“While the Earth Remaineth,” by Frank
Gunnell.
Submission of entries for the novice
contest closes on June 3rd, with judging
by membership to take place at the an¬
nual meeting on June 20th. At the
latter session, elections will be held for
four members of the board of directors
whose terms expire this year.
Cinema Club of San Francisco
Cinema Club of San Francisco held its
regular monthly meeting on May 21st at
Women’s City Club; with dinner preced¬
ing to celebrate 15th anniversary of the
club’s founding. Films lined up by pro¬
gram chairman Larry Duggan included:
“Big Bridges,” by Duggan; “Bryce and
Zion National Parks,” by Lloyd Little¬
ton; “Wainright Parade,” by Eric Un¬
mack; “Tournament of Roses Parade,”
by R. L. Plath; and “Hetch Hetchy,” by
Leon Gagne, which was held over from
the previous meeting. Total of 27 mem¬
bers visited the Domoto Nursery at Hay¬
ward on club-sponsored trip, and some
fine films of the gorgeous oriental peonies
in bloom are expected for showings at
future meetings.
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
May 1st meeting of Brooklyn Ama¬
teur Cine Club held at Hotel Bassert
featured the annual “Gunnell Nite,” with
Frank Gunnell presenting his “Al-Fra-
Don Varieties,” and “Animal Country;”
in addition to an illustrated talk on
titling. Walter Bergmann returned for
the May 15th meeting to present a pro¬
gram of his exceptional films.
Seattle Amateur Movie Club
An uncut film contest is now under
way among members of the Seattle Ama¬
teur Movie Club, with basic rules stress¬
ing the importance of careful planning
before shooting of each scene. Entries
for 8 mm. division are limited to 50 feet,
while the 16 mm. contestants must be
submitted within 100 feet. Aside from
the splices for white leader, only one
other splice is permitted in each subject
submitted for the contest. Closing date
will be set for several months hence, with
winning entries in the two divisions to
receive awards at club’s annual dinner in
December.
“Brookside,” a 400 foot kodachrome
production from ACL, featured the film
program at May 14th meeting, which
also included a discussion on various
brands of cameras and projectors by
members.
Parkchester Cine Club
Parkchester Cine Club of the Bronx,
New York, is presenting its fifth annual
movie show on evening of June 6th at
St. Helena’s church auditorium. Pro¬
gram, all films being made by club mem¬
bers, includes: “Old Fort Niagara and
the Mighty Falls,” by Henry F. Goebel;
“Bryce Canyon and Yosemite,” by Alec
Grossman; “St. Helena’s on Parade,” by
John Arricale and Oscar Woelfle; “Elea¬
nor at the Zoo,” by Herbert Oesterle;
and “Variety,” premiere of a vaude show
subject by George Kirstein. During the
war, Parkchester members made several
documentary films for Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co.
La Casa, Alhambra
A. J. Zeman was chairman of the
May 20th meeting of La Casa Movie
Club of Alhambra, Calif., which pre¬
sented a program of films through the
courtesy of Pasadena Movie Club. Pic¬
tures included: “Snake and Dog,” by
Bert Sault; “Tournament of RoseS,” by
Pasadena Movie Club; “Monument Val¬
ley,” by Floyd Rittenhouse; “Nerine the
Lily Beautiful,” by A. Foster; and
“Monarch Butterfly,” by A. Fox.
Amateur M. P. Club, St. Louis
Members of Amateur Motion Picture
Club of St. Louis enjoyed an extensive
program at meeting held at Roosevelt
Hotel on April 9th, with films projected
including: “Yellowstone,” by Arthur
Bangert; “Holiday in Hollywood,” by
Frank Sperka; “Christmas,” by Lon
Wadman; “Taken for a Ride,” loaned by
Stamford, Conn, club; “Expectant
Father,” by George Valentine of Glen-
brook, Conn.; and “Canadian Holiday,”
loaned by Joseph Hollywood of New
York. At the April meeting, the club
voted to raise dues from four to six dol¬
lars annually.
L. A. Cinema Club
Splendid program of films featured
the May 6th meeting of Los Angeles
Cinema Club, held at the Ebell Club with
president Harry E. Parker as chairman.
Highlight of the film program was show¬
ing of the AAF “Last Bomb” for the
first time before any amateur movie club.
Royal R. Moss presented his reel of
“local color” shots which proved to be
very spectacular; while Guy D. Haselton
exhibited his “Inside Passage to Alaska.”
Paul E. Wolfe gave a most entertaining
talk on his experiences as a police and
news photographer.
Secretary-treasurer Jack Shandler an¬
nounced a new club development whereby
certificates will be issued to members
traveling abroad, designed to secure for
them easier access to desirable photo¬
graphic locations and subjects. First of
a series of technical session headed by
Lorenzo Del Riccio presented brief talks
by Karl Freund, A.S.C.; Hartley Harri¬
son; and R. A. Buckley.
Philadelphia Cinema Club
Frank E. Gunnell, FACL, was honored
guest with his wife at the May 14th
meeting of Philadelphia Cinema Club
held in auditorium of Witherspoon Build¬
ing. In addition to exhibiting his Hiram
Maxim award winning picture, “While
the Earth Remaineth,” Mr. Gunnell also
showed his “Down Mexico Way” and
“Sahuaro Land;” after which he gave a
talk on the making of better movies.
Meeting generated turnout of many pros¬
pective members to add to the large num¬
ber of clubites present.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Regular monthly meeting of Utah Cine
Arts Club of Salt Lake City was held on
evening of May 15th, with film program
and technical session for member infor¬
mation providing a most interesting ses¬
sion. Films shown included: “A Letter to
Marjorie,” by Dr. C. Elmer Barratt;
“Atwood,” by Kermit Fullmer; and “Na¬
ture’s Art Gallery,” Union Pacific koda¬
chrome subject displaying the scenic
wonders of the Bryce and Zion canyon
districts.
Westwood Movie Club
George Loehrsen functioned as auc¬
tioneer at the gadget auction of West-
wood Movie Club, San Francisco, at
meeting held on April 26th. Loehrsen,
also film program chairman, lined up
group of pictures around the general
title of “Filming the Family.” Films in¬
cluded: “Sandra,” by Ed Sargeant;
“Barney and Graduation,” by W. C.
Johnson; “Christmas,” by I. A. Kitz-
berger; “Delightfully Yours,” by Frank
Boichot; and “Family Album and April
Wedding.”
208 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
HANDSOME in appearance, convenient in use,
Cine-Kodak and Kodascope carrying cases are
built to make movie making or screening easier
... to afford real protection to filming and pro¬
jecting equipment.
Easier — because many carrying cases take
Cine-Kodak or Kodascope and a variety of
accessory equipment . . . because you're ready
for movie making or showing anywhere, at a
moment's notice.
Protection — because cases guard your pre¬
cision movie equipment against weather and
run-of-the-mill jolts and bumps . . . because
they prevent dust collection that can dull
movies or scratch film.
And, because Kodak-made cases are built
for a specific camera or projector, they're
space-thrifty and convenient — each piece of
equipment fits because the case is built that way.
Yes, carrying cases have joined the return
of Kodak movie equipment — in a choice of
styles for some Cine-Kodaks and Kodascopes.
Many are available right now at your Cine-
Kodak dealer's. Better see him — soon.
Standard Case for the Cine-Kodak
Magazine 8 is built of handsome top-
grain cowhide . . . takes camera and
two extra film cartons. An extra
length of strap permits over-the-
shoulder or hand carrying.
Combination Case for the "Maga¬
zine 8” is constructed of finest cow¬
hide . . . holds camera, two acces¬
sory lenses, extra film magazines,
Focusing Finder, and a full comple¬
ment of Lens Attachments.
Soft Leather Case accommo¬
dates either Cine-Kodak Maga¬
zine 8 or 16. Of morocco-grain
leather, the Soft Leather Case
is of pouch-type construction
with a zipper closure.
Combination Case for the "Magazine 16"
takes camera, two telephoto lenses or the
wide-angle lenses and adapter, a filter or sup¬
plementary lens in W mount, and two extra
film magazines. The Combination Case is
built of handsome, durable cowhide.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Rochester 4, N. Y.
Far left: Carrying Case for Koda¬
scope Eight-33 is light but sturdy
. . . built to stand up in use. And it's
handsome in appearance, too . . .
finished in airplane-luggage cloth.
Left: Projecto Case for Kodascope
Sixteen- 10 doubles as carrying
case and waist-high projection
stand. Here's the case packed, the
entire assembly enclosed in a com¬
pact carrying case. The legs fold
easily into the compartment
pictured on the near side.
Left: The same case in use as a pro¬
jection stand for both Kodascope
and film reels and cans. Readily set
up, the Projecto Case for Koda¬
scope Sixteen-10 provides a waist-
high projection stand — just the
right height for convenient use.
Well-designed, sturdy construction
makes it a rock-steady base for the
projector . . . makes it a case that
really adds to the pleasures of
movie screening.
Compartment Case for Cine-Kodak Magazine
16 accommodates a wide variety of accessories
. . . fills the needs of the movie maker who has
or anticipates owning a full complement of
auxiliary equipment. Cow¬
hide construction makes it
tops in appearance.
Cinematography Magic
A scene from the violently realistic storm sequence of "A Stolen Life", produced with the aid of process
backgrounds, wind machines, and 90,000 gallons of water released from "typhoon chutes".
(Confinued from Page 197)
Van Enger, A.S.C.,— all of the Warners’
special effects department.
In addition to the obviously high qual¬
ity of the trick effects, it can also be
said that the caliber of general photog¬
raphy in “A Stolen Life” is far above
average. Polito managed to inject mood
by means of straight-forward yet at¬
mospheric treatment of the subject mat¬
ter. In one exterior sequence he used
a combination of fog and harshly real¬
istic lighting to produce a flat grey effect
very well suited to the key of the action
at that particular point in the story.
The entire film evidences a generous
amount of production value and shows
fine attention to detail in every depart¬
ment. Requiring six months of continu¬
ous shooting, and utilizing thirty-six ma¬
jor sets, the film establishes the rugged
New England coast as a provocative
setting for dramatic action. In reality,
these sequences were shot at Laguna
Beach — a swank, colorful, seaside artists’
colony not too far from Hollywood. But
the locales were selected with care and
have a genuine rockbound Yankee char¬
acter about them. During filming of
scenes at this location, natives of Laguna
were delighted to see a lighthouse take
shape on a small island just off the
mainland. They had been campaigning
for just such a lighthouse for years;
but they were sadly disappointed when,
after two weeks of shooting the prop
cardboard lighthouse was dismantled,
packed up, and sent back to the studio.
Further location trips were made to
Monterey and to Long Beach, where air¬
port footage was shot. In addition, two
complete New England towns were con¬
structed on the back lot — one a simple
fishing village, the other a pleasure re¬
sort erected on “Lake Warner.” Here
a full-size ferry boat was built upon
iron trucks moving on rails beneath the
surface of the water.
From the audience standpoint, “A
Stolen Life” should play a merry tune at
the box-office. From the technician’s
standpoint it proves that teamwork in
production shows up favorably on the
screen. In presenting something truly
unusual and outstanding in the way of
cinematographic special effects, it em¬
phasizes the point that the purpose of
such effects is not to fool an audience,
but to place on the screen as an in¬
tegral part of the story an illusion of
reality that could not be effectively
achieved in any other way.
Monson Ansco Trade Advisor
Harry Monson has been appointed to
newly-created post of special advisor on
trade relations by Ansco. Recently dis¬
trict manager for the company in Chi¬
cago, Monson is veteran of 42 years in
the photographic business. Harold A.
Edlund takes over the Chicago post for
Ansco.
Armat Honored by SMPE
Thomas Armat, inventor of the first
projection machine employing a loop¬
forming means and giving the film
longer period of rest and illumination
than the time required for movement
from frame to frame, was presented with
a Scroll of Achievement at semi-annual
technical conference of Society of Mo¬
tion Picture Engineers last month in
New York. Presentation to Armat was
on 50th anniversary of his first exhibition
of his projector at Foster and Bial’s
Music Hall, New York. Albert Warner
accepted achievement scroll presented to
Warner Brothers for pioneering leader¬
ship in the development of sound mo¬
tion pictures, 20th anniversary of which
is being celebrated for the next several
months.
Los Angeles Eight
Entries in the Los Angeles 8mm.
Club’s 50 foot contest were exhibited at
May 14th meeting held in the Bell &
Howell auditorium. Sylvia Fairley’s
“There Ain’t No Justice” was the
winner; second honors went to “Swim
Meet” by Fred Evans; while “Bringing
Down Father” by L. B. Reed won third
prize. Contest committee chairman
William Wade also showed his “Hello,
Honey, How Yo’ All?”, which he filmed
on a recent trip through the deep south.
Club’s first outing of the year will be
staged June 2, with members journeying
to Charlton Flats on the Angeles Crest
Highway for combination social and
filming activities.
Westwood, San Francisco
Program of nationally-famous ama¬
teur films and contest winners was pre¬
sented by Westwood Movie Club of San
Francisco on May 24th at Aptos Junior
high school auditorium for members,
guests and the general public. Pictures
included: Frank E. Gunnell’s “While the
Earth Remaineth,” “Grand Canyon,” by
Fred Harvey; “Chromatic Rhapsody,” by
Robert P. Kehow; and “Outside the Big
Top,” by Guy Nelli.
PSA Organizing Movie
Division
Organization of a motion picture di¬
vision for the benefit of PSA members
and other amateur cinematographers and
their clubs has been announced by the
Photographic Society of America. Acting
chairman of the new division is Harris
B. Tuttle, of Rochester, who is an As¬
sociate of PSA and Fellow of the Royal
Photographic Society and of the So¬
ciety of Motion Picture Engineers.
The new Division, which takes its place
beside PSA’s Camera Club, Color, His¬
torical, Nature, Pictorial, Press, and
Technical Divisions, will sponsor authori¬
tative articles in “PSA Journal,” ar¬
range for club interchange of amateur
productions, and report on the use of
equipment and methods of interest and
aid to amateur movie makers. The di¬
vision plans to cooperate with the Ama¬
teur Cinema League, Society of Motion
Picture Enginers, and the American So¬
ciety of Cinematographers, and to pro¬
vide material of interest to operators
of 8mm. and 16mm. equipment.
Organization of the division has been
planned for some time in an effort to-
provide PSA members with complete
photographic service, but was interrupt¬
ed by war. The first 100 PSA members
to become affiliated will be recognized
as charter division members.
GE Photolamp Data Sheet
Essential data pertaining to all G-E
lamps used for photographic purposes
have been compiled and highlighted in
a new free folder published by G. E.
Lamp Department at Nela Park, Cleve¬
land.
Departmentalized by subject, the fold¬
er permits the user to quickly put his
finger on any desired bit of photolamp
information. It represents an enormous
amount of photographic information
boiled down to “sugar” in the form of
time-light curves, exposure and lamp
specification tables, photos, and charts.
210 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
You Can Bring Talking Pictures Into Your Home
WITH THE NEW AMPRO 16 MM. SOUND PROJECTOR
« .
You can see and hear what you want when you want —
through this remarkable new low-cost Amprosound
"Premier 10.” Right in your own living room — for your
family and friends — you can put on professional quality
performances — with brilliant clear pictures and superb tone
quality. Ampro’s unique centralized control system and
many unusual features make it easy to set up quickly —
simple to operate. The large libraries of 16 mm.
sound films assure you a continuous series of dramatic,
entertaining, musical and educational programs.
The Army-Navy E
has been awarded
to Ampro for
excellence in the
production of
16 mm. motion
picture projectors.
AMPRO CORPORATION * CHICAGO
A General Precision Equipment Corporation Subsidiary
mg
AMPROSOUND “PREMIER 10” PROJECTOR
A 16 mm. sound-on-film projector
that is rugged, sturdy, compact,
lightweight — and designed to give
continuous efficient performance.
Special Ampro features include:
Simplified Threading System, Central¬
ized Controls, Triple Claw Movement,
Centralized Oiling System, Quick
Set-up, Quiet Operation — and many
other exclusive advantages. Write
today for folder giving specifications,
prices and full details.
Specialized Photography
(Continued from Page 195)
make the color records of value, they
must be capable of being printed for
reports, so an extensive color printing
service has been instituted which can
turn out as many as 500 prints per
week. The original transparencies are
processed in our own laboratory. The
color prints are made by direct contact,
or by enlargement from the original
transparencies and are also entirely
processed with our extensive facilities.
The organization is constantly experi¬
menting with new problems and appli¬
cations for enlarging its scope and at¬
tacking new problems. New applications
of infrared, x-rays, photomicrography,
radar, stereoscopic processes, cathode-
ray oscilloscopes are constantly being
tried to discover new approaches for the
solution of problems presented to this
organization. The limits of photography
as an aid to engineering have by no
means been reached.
High-Speed Photography
High-speed photography as practiced
at Wright Field may be conveniently di¬
vided into 2 general classifications: high¬
speed motion pictures, high-speed still
pictures. Each of these may be sub¬
divided into qualitative records and
quantitative studies.
High-Speed Motion Pictures
Continuous Light — To make the high¬
speed motion pictures, several pieces of
equipment are in use. The Western Elec¬
tric Fastax camera, in both the 8-mm
and 16-mm sizes, is used for the bulk
of the projects. Although the Eastman
Type III 16-mm camera is gaining
favor, each camera has certain advan¬
tages for various types of problems.
These cameras operate on the prin¬
ciple of continuous film motion, the in¬
dividual frames being defined by a glass
prism which, by rotating, moves the
image formed by the camera lens along
with the advancing film.
The definition obtained with this type
of optical compensation is not as good
as with the standard intermittent mo¬
tion, but it is adequate for any but the
smallest detail. The best use of these
cameras is made by filming close-ups
of the most important action and in this
way not depending upon rendition of
small detail.
At full speed,' the 100-ft. of film take
about IV2 to 2 sec to pass through, so
exact timing of the starting of the
cameras is essential. It is all too easy to
have the important action occur after
the film has passed through the camera.
In one application where it was de¬
sired to record the final velocity of a
cart falling in a vertical track, a switch
was installed on the track to turn the
camera on just before the cart appeared
in the picture, thus assuring that the
camera would be running at that time.
The switch was then moved up the
track until the camera started V2 sec
before the cart arrived in the scene. In
this way the camera was allowed to
come up to its full speed of 4000 pic¬
tures a sec before the cart appeared.
To measure the velocity of the cart it
was necessary to determine the dis¬
tance traveled in a certain time. The
track was marked in one-inch distances
by painting the track white and laying
on strips of black scotch tape one inch
wide every other inch. To improve the
accuracy of the measurement a vernier
scale was painted on the cart so it would
move along the track markings. Thus a
reading every tenth of an inch could be
made.
The time record on the film was made
by means of a 200-cps spark originating
in a vibrating-reed timer built for the
purpose by our organization. A vibrat¬
ing reed has its output voltage stepped
up by a transformer to a point where
it trips the grid of a Strobotron tube.
The output of the Strobotron is put
through a spark coil on the camera
which is connected to the sparking
electrode in the camera body. A spark
flashes against the film sprocket, the
light of the discharge making a small
fog mark on the edge of the film every
5 milliseconds.
Thus time and distance were re¬
corded on the same film from which
velocity may be calculated. By drawing
the curve of velocity against time it is
possible to take the slope of the curve
at any point and so calculate accelera¬
tion.
In this way a complete record is ob¬
tained not only of velocity and accel¬
eration but of the appearances of the
action in slow motion for visual study.
Lighting of the subjects to the re¬
quired high intensity is provided by
R-2 photofloods of small objects and up
to 10,000-w units for larger areas. In
bright sunlight, a maximum of 2000
frames per sec is all that the light will
permit and still produce adequate ex¬
posure from light-colored subjects. For
higher camera speeds, the subject must
be illuminated with additional lighting
units. A light truck equipped with four
3200-w floodlighting units and provided
with its own generator was found to be
a useful item for work in the field.
Processing
Because the exposure per frame of
films made with the Fastax or Eastman
Type III cameras is of the order of 1/5000
sec or less, the films are normally on
the underexposed side. Special process¬
ing to obtain a printable film density is
usually required. A fresh D-76 formula
gives good density provided the develop¬
ment is carried from 30 to 60 min. To
reduce the time of development, a more
energetic print type of developer will
cut the time to about 7 to 10 min. With
this stronger developer it is necessary
to use an anti-foggant to hold down the
background fog; 6-nitrobenzimidazole
has been found very effective for this
purpose.
Removal of the opaque backing from
the film has been found relatively easy
with Eastman Kodak Super XX by a
simple squeegeeing with a viscose
sponge during final washing. The film
must be doubly perforated similarly to
“double eight,” as usually supplied for
8-mm cameras. It is spooled in 100-ft.
lengths and is a reversible-type film al¬
though we develop it as a negative for
convenience and extra speed.
In the laboratory, rack and tank de¬
velopment has proved more practical
than machine processing because of the
long developing time required to obtain
sufficient image density. In the field a
G-3 tank is capable of producing good
results. The roller in this tank is re¬
placed with a viscose sponge to aid in
removing the backing from the film. A
collapsible drying rack designed for the
Air Corps is a convenient accessory to
hold the film while the moisture is evap¬
orating from it.
Analysis of the Film
After processing, the film must be
studied for information that will enable
performance curves to be drawn for the
subject under analysis. The timing
marks along the edge of the film are
usually reduced to a frames-per-second
figure for important parts of the film
where the action occurs. Where the
whole film is to be analyzed, a curve
is drawn of film length measured in feet
from the beginning of the film against
frames per second. In this way, the
time interval measured from one frame
to the next may be taken off the curve
for any part of the reel while it is
measured on a footage counter.
The action is viewed frame by frame
with special projectors originally de¬
signed to analyze gun sight aiming point
camera records. The image may be pro¬
jected on a screen up to exactly orig¬
inal size and measurements of distance
thus made directly on the screen. By
interposing a mirror in the beam of the
projector and reflecting the image back
toward a translucent screen near the
projector, the analyst may operate the
projector and measure the screen with¬
out leaving his chair. A scale on the
floor along which to slide the mirror
enables the operator to consult a table
and so enlarge the image to any de¬
sired extent without trial and error
by setting the mirror at predetermined
distances from the screen.
Large transparent protractors and
scales to use on the screen enable the
analyst to work quickly and accurately.
After the points for the velocity curve
have been plotted, a special tangent
scale devised by our chief analyst is
used to obtain the points to plot the
curve of acceleration.
Achievements with the
High-Speed Cameras
While the films made with high-speed
motion picture cameras often appear
spectacular, it is usually the more pro¬
saic looking picture that produces the
most significant results. The close-up
of a wheel on the landing gear of a
B-24 during the process of making con¬
tact with the ground during an actual
landing is very dull screen fare, but it
212
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
"Without arcs- there is no photography"
EDWARD CRONJAGER, A. S. C.
NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC.
Unit of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation
eng
30 East 42nd Street, New York 17, N. Y.
Division Sales Offices: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
American Cinematographer • June, 1946 213
yielded curves and figures that ex¬
plained a great deal about the flexures
a tire undergoes during the violent im¬
pact at landing.
Studies have been made of aircraft
machine gun malfunctioning which
proved the correctness of the theory
of one of Wright Field’s experts and
revised the thinking of the gun manu¬
facturers.
Under the analytical eye of the high¬
speed camera have come aerial camera
shutters, jet propulsion engines, burst¬
ing propellers, exploding oxygen con¬
tainers, explosively operated radio an¬
tennae, electrical relay actions, manual
gun charging operations, aircraft launch¬
ing devices, and a host of other engi¬
neering projects.
Intermittent Light High-Speed
Motion Pictures
Another important piece of equip¬
ment in use is the Edgerton flashing
light high-speed camera. As is well
known to most engineers in this field,
this camera utilizes special gaseous
discharge lamps whose flash is so short
that it stops the action not only of the
subject but of the continuous moving
film in the camera as well. The film is
35-mm in width and 100 ft. long. The
film passes through the camera in IV2
sec when the driving motor is set to
full speed, taking 1500 pictures per sec.
A contactor on the main sprocket wheel
fires the lamps every time a new frame
is in position back of the aperture plate.
Are YOUR Films Safe
from REEL Damage?
Films can be damaged beyond repair
by reels which corrode, allow side¬
slipping, or saw on film edges. Avoid
these dangers to your often irreplace¬
able films by using Bell & Howell reels.
B&H reels are of rust-proofed spring
steel, rigid yet so resilient that they
will not take a set. They have no
sharp edges to cut film or fingers.
Their B&H "touch-threading” hubs
eliminate hunting in the dark for a
slot. Their film-footage calibrations
are another convenience feature.
HUMIDOR CANS
Give Added Protection
B&H humidor cans for these reels
are equally well built. They are rust¬
proof, and are easy to open without
a prying tool. Heavy ribs add to
their rigidity. Satin surface permits
writing anywhere. Built-in humidi¬
fier pads have exclusive tell-tale disc
to indicate when pad is dry.
A spark electrode in the Edgerton
camera places a time record on the
film so that time duration, velocity, and
acceleration may be measured.
Incidentally, a comparison of the 3
types of high-speed cameras — the
Fastax, the Eastman, and the Edgerton
— brings to light the fact that 100 ft.
of film passes through each in IV2 sec
at full speed. The linear film velocity
is the same, therefore, in each camera,
the different frames per second rates be¬
ing a result of the difference in frame
size.
The Edgerton camera can be used
only in subdued light because the lens
is open all the time; therefore its op¬
eration is restricted to laboratory appli¬
cations. The shortness of the flash,
which amounts to 1/100,000 sec, and
the relatively large frame size com¬
pared to the 8- or 16-mm films made by
the other cameras make possible the
recording of greater detail in the pic¬
tures. Single frame enlargements up to
8 X 10 in. of the important phases of
the action are readily made for in¬
clusion in reports, a valuable aid in ex¬
plaining data.
Because of the shortness of the flash,
normal speed films are barely exposed.
Even the fastest films leave a great
deal to be desired because the severe
reciprocity failure of the film reduces
the effective exposure considerably. The
blue color of the discharge lamp’s flash
utilizes only a portion of the wide spec-
Tell-tale disc shows . . . matches color of
in moist pad . . . dry humidifier pad.
All Capacities Available Now
YourFilmo dealer will soon have B&H
reels and cans in all capacities for
both 8mm. and 1 6mm. film. Place
your orders with him now or write
to Bell & Howell Company, 7148
McCormick Road, Chicago 45.
tral sensitivity of the fast panchromatic
emulsion.
Adding all these restrictions together
pointed to the need for finding a high¬
speed blue-sensitive emulsion that could
be developed vigorously. A blue-sensi¬
tive film made especially for recording
the fluoroscopic screen of x-ray appa¬
ratus was finally adopted as incorpor¬
ating all the features desired. This film
still has to be developed for 30 to 60
min but the results are reasonably sat¬
isfactory.
The coolness of the flashing light
technique, as contrasted to the incandes¬
cent glare of the continuous light
camera, indicates that for biological pic¬
tures and subjects whose actions would
be affected by temperature rise, the
Edgerton equipment would prove su¬
perior. It can, however, photograph only
relatively small objects because of the
low light output.
The continuous light cameras are
lighter, smaller, cheaper, and simpler
to operate and will make pictures in day¬
light. Each type of apparatus has its
particular advantage and application.
Sequence Flashing
Some actions are too fast for even the
high-speed cameras to catch. What is
more, the bursting of an airplane pro¬
peller under increasing speeds cannot
be anticipated, so it is impossible to
start a motion picture camera in time
to be operating at full speed at the ex¬
act moment required. Even if the camera
were operating at the proper time, it is
doubtful if more than two frames would
record the action. A different technique
had to be evolved to handle problems of
this nature.
If a series of electrical discharge
lamps were lined up and their con¬
densers charged, they may be fired in
sequence at almost any rapidity de¬
sired. For relatively small but fast ob¬
jects such as bullets, 6 Edgerton micro¬
flash units were assembled. These units
emit a flash of light whose duration is
1/500,000 sec. The condensers in each
unit require several seconds to charge
from a 7000-v supply, but once charged
the units may be fired one after the
other in rapid succession.
A sequencing device was designed and
constructed that would fire each lamp
in turn electronically from 1/12 sec to
1/20,000 sec between flashes. By means
of a microphone feeding into an ampli¬
fier, the sound of the gun initiates the
sequence and the lights flash in suc¬
cession. Of course, the picture is made
in darkness, the flashes of light ex¬
posing the film. The picture is taken
on an ordinary still camera loaded with
fast blue-sensitive film which is devel¬
oped vigorously. In this way pictures of
bullets may be photographed striking
armor plate and shedding their jackets.
A series of bullet images appear in one
picture showing successive stages of the
action.
Although the microflash units have a
relatively short range and angle of
spread, helicopter rotors up to 38 ft.
across have been successfully photo-
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS
OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
214 June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Get that professional look
in your home movies!
YOU can get a more professional
look in your own home movies!
Beginning right now . . . with Ansco
Hypan Reversible film in your camera.
Hypan helps you make movies that
sparkle with brilliance and detail. You
get crisp, bright screen images — movies
that you’ll enjoy showing over and over
again.
In Hypan you find an excellent balance
of the important qualities Hollywood
cinematographers look for in a film —
ample speed, fine grain, high resolving
power and full color sensitivity.
Shoot the scenes you want, when you
want them — in sunshine or shade.
Hypan is the ideal film for black-and-
white movies of all outdoor subjects.
For that professional touch in your home
movies, load your camera with Ansco
Hypan film today. Ansco, Bingham¬
ton, New York. A Division of General
Aniline & Film Corporation. General
Sales Offices, 11 West 42nd Street, New
York 18, N. Y.
- ASK FOR -
Ansco
8 and 16 MM
HYPAN FILM
graphed during rupture. To accomplish
this end, the blades were painted white,
a fluoride-coated f/2.5 lens was used
on the camera, and the fast fluoro¬
graphic film developed to completion.
Ten minutes in straight D-72 with an
antifoggant added is not unusual to
bring up an image adequate for print¬
ing.
In the case of the helicopter propeller
rupture, a wire was cemented to the
blades and brought out through a slip¬
ring device normally used to connect
strain gauges to recording instruments.
The wires were connected to a trans¬
former and battery in series. The second¬
ary of the transformer was close to and
connected into the input of the trigger¬
ing amplifier. The transformer en¬
abled the circuit comprising the rotor
and slip-ring to retain a low impedance
and so be relatively free from pickup
disturbances. The rupturing of the rotor
broke the wires and initiated the se¬
quence of flashes.
Because the camera with its fast lens
and film was set for time exposure to
catch the moment of rupture, the whole
propeller test laboratory had to be dark¬
ened completely. Windows that could
not be covered in the enclosing struc¬
ture made it necessary to perform the
test only after darkness fell. One of the
first pictures made with this equip¬
ment shows pieces of the fabric blade
flying away from the rotor. The success
of the results obtained so far has war¬
ranted the building of a new sequence
flasher of far greater light output to be
permanently installed in the propeller
test laboratory for continuing research.
Flash Techniques
In some cases where the action is
continuous, pictures are required at in¬
tervals that do not approach motion pic¬
ture frequency and yet each picture
must be made with extremely short ex¬
posure. An actual case was a helicopter
hovering above the ground. Pictures of
the blades were required to determine
coning angle and bending.
An aerial night photographic flash unit
was adapted to ground operation for
this purpose. This unit emitted an ex¬
tremely powerful flash of light whose
duration was only 1/5000 sec. The flash
could be repeated 3 times a sec. An
aerial camera taking a 5 X 7-in. picture
had its shutter removed and its mecha¬
nism altered to move the film continu¬
ously. The lens was set into a focusing
mount and the camera set upon a
Mitchell tripod. A contactor was in¬
stalled in the camera to flash the light
every time a fresh 5-in. length of film
came into position.
When darkness fell on the flying field
and everything was in readiness, the
helicopter pilot was given the signal to
make the aircraft rise to a hovering
position. At the same moment, the
camera was started and the light was
fired by the film metering rollers in¬
side. A series of pictures was thus ob¬
tained showing the blades of the heli¬
copter sharply defined against a black
sky. Measurements could then be easily
made of the angle and deformation of
the blades.
Individual flash pictures may, of
course, be made with the same equip¬
ment. An example of such an applica¬
tion was the request made by the Pro¬
peller Laboratory to photograph the
successive stages of the building up of
ice on a propeller. The request stated
that this was not to be done in the wind
tunnel but must be accomplished under
actual icing conditions in the air. To
complicate matters further, it was con¬
sidered too dangerous to make the flight
at night, sufficient hazard being en¬
countered during daylight operations in
icing clouds.
The problem was finally solved by the
combination of several techniques and
the development of a new discharge
lamp. The regular lamp of the night
photographic unit was replaced with a
short duration tube. This tube flashed
in about 1/20,000 sec. To make the pic¬
ture, a wide-angle camera was con£
structed which could be operated en¬
tirely from the rear and so rigid that
it would keep is focus despite the vi¬
bration of the airplane. A contactor
was fitted to the shutter to fire the flash
when the blades were wide open. In
this way, the effect of daylight would
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216
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
be kept to a minimum with a high
shutter speed.
The camera and lamp were installed in
the cockpit of the B-25 Mitchell bomber
directly behind the pilot, viewing the
blades of the propeller perpendicular to
their axis of rotation. The success of
the whole project depended upon 3 fac¬
tors: (1) overpowering the daylight with
flash, (2) a fast enough flash to stop the
propeller, and (3) sufficient contrast to
be obtained between the cloud back¬
ground and the propeller blade to show
the latter to its best advantage.
To achieve the last requirement, color
contrast was tried and found to be of
considerable help. Ansco Color Film was
loaded into the camera and the propeller
blades of the airplane painted bright
red. The name of the B-25, Flaming
Mamie , was no meaningless term as one
glance at the flaming color of the pro¬
peller would prove.
Motion Picture Theodolites
Recording theodolites are used effec¬
tively at Wright Field for the location in
space of moving aircraft, parachutes,
and slow-moving missiles. The recording
theodolites are essentially motion pic¬
ture cameras whose azimuth (panorama
from the north point) and site (tilt from
the horizontal) are recorded on the film
simultaneously with the picture. A clock
is also recorded for the purpose of
matching pictures taken at the same
time from 2 stations. The theodolites
are always used in pairs so that triangu¬
lation from their 2 positions defines the
position of the subject. The clocks on
the 2 instruments may be synchronized
by radio so that accuracy in timing is
assured. From the observations recorded
by these theodolites, three-dimensional
space graphs may be plotted to depict
the exact motion of an object in the air.
With these instruments, the flight path
of a helicopter was recorded and plotted
to prove that such an aircraft requires
some wind to produce vertical ascent.
The oscillations and drift of a parachute
were also measured.
Conclusion
Motion picture technique has been put
to work in the ways enumerated to aid
in the solution of engineering problems
at Wright Field, the experimental cen¬
ter of aircraft development for the Army
Air Forces. Under the pressure of war,
the satisfactory solutions to these design
problems had to be found quickly. The
success which attended the application
of these new photographic analytical
methods was so complete that this work
is expanding to an ever-increasing ex¬
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American Cinematographer • June, 1946
217
CAMERA EQUIPMENT CO. "PROFESSIONAL JUNIOR"
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
The new “Professional Junior” Geared
Pan and Tilt head, with or without tri¬
pod base, is now available for instant
delivery right from stock, it was an¬
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'GOERZ AMERICAN"
PRECISION PHOTO LENSES
An American Product Since 1899
46 YEARS IN THE FRONT LINE OF
PHOTO-OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
Because of their excellence in performance in all
branches of photography, in war or peace, the
demand for them has tremendously increased.
It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
backlog of orders, for so many different types
and sizes, and build up our war-depleted stock
for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest passible deliv¬
ery we urge you to place NOW through your
dealer your order for the lens you have selected.
You will be repaid for your patience manifold
with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
REMEMBER:
For making first-class pictures, a
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
lens will give you a lifetime of pleasure
The c. p. GOERZ AMERICAN
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OFFICE AND FACTORY
317 East 34th St., New York 16, N. Y.
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of Camera Equipment Company, manu¬
facturers of world-famous “Professional
Junior” camera equipment.
Interchangeable with “Professional-
Junior” friction-type removable head, it
also fits “Professional Junior,” “Hi-
Hat,” and “Baby” tripod base. Takes
35mm. Eyemo, DeVry, Cineflex, and all
16mm. amateur and professional 16mm.
cameras — with or without motors. Also
adapted for W. E. Fastex, E. K. High
Speed, and all still cameras.
Geared pan and tilt head made of gen¬
uine DowMetal (magnesium) weighs
only 5% lbs. With standard legs, com¬
plete tripod weighs 14% lbs. Worm
driven gears are government specifica¬
tion bronze. Snap on crank handles are
all-metal with aluminum knobs. Smooth,
steady 360° pan and 65° tilt action con¬
trol is obtained from both right and left
sides. All exclusive features of “Pro¬
fessional Junior” removable head tripod
are incorporated in new Geared Pan and
Tilt model.
Mr. Zucker stated, “It has always
been the policy of Camera Equipment
Company to bring to professionals and
amateurs alike the finest camera equip¬
ment that can be made. All new ma¬
terials such as DowMetal, which is now
used for many Camera Equipment parts,
gives our equipment new strength and
lightness. To assure long life for equip¬
ment, all parts that undergo severe
usage are made of finest heat-treated
steel and in many cases extra-hard
bronze.
“All Camera Equipment has always
been designed not only to look good and
give long service, but in addition, every
possible plus functional feature has been
built in. In short, it has been our pur¬
pose always to give Camera Equipment’s
customer the latest, most up-to-date
equipment — the kind that helps him to
do a highly professional job in all his
shooting.”
Seager Joins Ansco
Charles W. Seager has been named to
head the professional motion picture
products section of Ansco’s Binghamton
sales staff.
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San Francisco Westwood
Sets Active Program
The Westwood Movie Club of San
Francisco has started the 1946 amateur
movie makers season with a bang!
Under the expert leadership of Fred
Harvey the January dinner, held in one
of San Francisco’s leading restaurants,
was attended by 75 members and guests.
The February meeting was devoted to
demonstrations of colored film by the
Ansco people. The March meeting was
devoted to a very interesting and edu¬
cational demonstration of sound on wire.
During the month of May, the West-
wood Movie Club will attempt its first
civic project of any size. One afternoon
will be devoted to showing 16mm ama¬
teur movie films to the pupils of the
Aptos Junior High School. In the eve¬
ning an entirely new show will be put
on in the Little Theater of the Aptos
Junior High School for the entire com¬
munity. Over 1,000 people are expected
to attend.
Classes are now being formed to in¬
struct beginners in the use of their
equipment, how to take pictures, how to
make titles and all phases of motion
picture photography. This promises to
become one of the most outstanding
projects of the club.
All amateur motion picture makers in
the San Francisco Bay area are in¬
vited to attend the meetings which are
held on the last Friday of each month
in the club room at the St. Francis Com¬
munity Hall, Ocean Avenue and San
Fernando Way, San Francisco.
Ansco Perfecting Faster
Color Negative
The means for producing a color nega¬
tive film with a speed comparable to
average black-and-white films was an¬
nounced by research scientists of Gen¬
eral Aniline and Film Corporation and
its Ansco Division, meeting in a special
research forum recently.
The new film, of which only small ex¬
perimental coatings have been made, is
about 50 per cent faster than any color
negative film at present generally avail¬
able. Its speed corresponds to a Weston
rating of 32 or G. E. 48.
The new fast color film, discovered
cooperatively by chemists and scientists
of Ansco and General Aniline in the ex¬
perimental work on color negative, is
achieved through a combination of sev¬
eral factors, including emulsion tech¬
niques, and the development of new
color forming substances.
Availability of the new fast color film
will depend on experimental work now
being conducted, an Ansco spokesman
said. He pointed out that, although test
exposures under varying conditions had
been highly satisfactory, a full explora¬
tion of the possibilities of the new tech¬
niques is in its initial phase.
218
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
New Filmo Sound Library
Releases Announced
THE MERRY MONAHANS (Univer¬
sal) 9 reels
A cavalcade of vaudeville leading from
the three-a-day to the Follies. Excellent
comedy, music, and a pleasant dash of
nostalgic sentiment. One of the better
films. (Donald O’Connor, Peggy Ryan,
Jack Oakie) Available from March 15,
1946 for approved non-theatrical audi¬
ences.
SAN DIEGO, I LOVE YOU (Univer¬
sal) 8 reels
An ambitious girl can get places even
when weighted down with four obstrep¬
erous kid brothers and a dreamy school¬
teacher father who turns inventor. Good
clean comedy. (Jon Hall, Louise Allbrit-
ton, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore,
Buster Keaton). Available from March
29, 1946 for approved non-theatrical
audiences.
WHAT BIRD IS THAT? 3 reels
Teacher-made color films of American
bird life, arranged in novel form to en¬
courage student participation. Each bird
is pictured in typical habitat, size, feed¬
ing and nesting habits, and other dis¬
tinguishing features are shown — then a
pause for discussion, and the answer is
given. A quick review concludes the
reel. Producer David Schneider, editor
Wm. F. Kruse.
THE SINGING SHERIFF (6 reels)
A truly unique musical Western that
kids itself in clean uproarious satire.
There is rhyme and reason even in the
introduction of the musical numbers, and
an inspired commentator helps further to
take it off the beaten path. (Bob Crosby,
Fay McKenzie, Samuel S. Hinds, Fuzzy
Knight) Available from April 6, 1946 for
approved non-theatrical audiences.
BOWERY TO BROADWAY (Universal)
— 9 reels.
Two rival Irish showmen battle all the
way from the Bowery to Fourteenth
Street and finally to Times Square.
“Show Business” excellently and amus¬
ingly shown. (Jack Oakie, Susanna
Foster, Turhan Bey, Ann Blyth, Maria
Montez, Donald O’Connor, Louise All-
britton). Available from May 3, 1946,
for approved non-theatrical audiences.
RECKLESS AGE (Universal)— 6 reels.
Poor little rich girl runs away to be¬
come a salesgirl in one of her own chain
stores — for a lot more fun plus business,
romantic and other complications.
(Gloria Jean, Henry Stephenson, Judy
Clark, Franklin Pangborn). Available
from May 17, 1946, for approved non¬
theatrical audiences.
ENTER ARSENE LUPIN (Universal)—
7 reels.
Famous fiction character excellently
portrayed in new thriller that involves a
fabulous emerald, a pretty girl, ro¬
mance, rescues and a police inspector al¬
most, but not quite, smart enough to
catch the Robin Hood crook. (Charles
Korvin, Ella Raines, J. Carroll Naish).
Available from May 24, 1946 for ap¬
proved non-theatrical audiences.
DESTINY (Universal) 7 reels
Blind girl proves able to see good in
hard-driven victim of circumstances
about to take criminal path. Opens with
exciting chase, then develops story by
fine flash-backs leading to suspenseful
climax. Excellent morale and discussion
subject for churches, schools and clubs.
(Gloria Jean, Alan Curtis, Frank Craven,
Grace McDonald.) Available from June
22, 1946, for approved non-theatrical
audiences.
HI, BEAUTIFUL (Universal) 6 reels
Light comedy of errors involving the
home fires of a “model home” just a lit¬
tle too complete with all human acces¬
sories. Charming original twists. (Mar¬
tha O’Driscoll, Noah Berry, Jr., Hattie
McDaniel, Walter Catlett.) Available
from June 8, 1946, for approved non¬
theatrical audiences.
MY GAL LOVES MUSIC (Universal)
6 reels
Stranded show-girl team improvises a
mother-and-daughter act to win medi¬
cine show’s local talent contest — a trip
back to dear old Broadway. (Bob Crosby,
Grace McDonald, Betty Kean, Alan
Mowbray, Walter Catlett.) Available
from June 15, 1946, for approved non¬
theatrical audiences.
MUTINY ON THE ELSINOR (7 reels)
Super-feature that follows Jack Lon¬
don’s sea thriller. Paul Lukas (Academy
“Oscar” winner) plays the part of an
author who takes passage aboard a sail¬
ing ship in search of color for a novel,
but finds more than he had bargained
for. The ship is buffeted by storms, her
captain killed, and life aboard made ex¬
citing by a mutiny. For days a struggle
for control is waged, with victory by the
writer, the captain’s daughter, and the
loyal members of the crew. This is a
clean, exciting, vigorous adventure tale.
BUY AND SELL
Arriflex 35mm. 3 lens turret news cameras,
with 12 volt motor, fast coated or uncoated
lenses, hi-hat, non-spill lightweight battery,
sunshade, complete.
Cinephon Silent 35mm. studios camera, takes
Mitchell magazines, 5 lenses, 12 volt or I 10
volt motor, complete, finest camera made
in Europe.
Fast lenses: 25-28-35-50-75-100-125-150-200
mm. F2.3 F2.8 and FI. 8.
Maurer Model "D" Recorder, like new, com¬
plete.
35mm. Cameras for slide film production.
Bell & Howell 35mm. step printer.
Holmes 16mm Sound Projectors, new, $485.
WE BUY AND TRADE
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Cable Address: CAMERAMART
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American Cinematographer • June, 1946
219
Current Assignments of A S. C. Members
As this issue of American Cinema¬
tographer goes to press, A. S. C. Di¬
rector of Photography are assigned to
the following productions currently
shooting in the various Hollywood
studios.
Columbia Studios
Burnett Guffey, “Gallant Journey,”
with Glenn Ford, Janet Blair, Henry
Travers, Charles Ruggles.
Rudy Mate, “Down to Earth,” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Rita Hayworth, Larry
Parks, Marc Platt, Edward Everett
Horton, James Gleason.
Charles Lawton, jr., “Thrill of Bra¬
zil,” with Evelyn Keyes, Keenan Wynn,
Ann Miller, Allyn Joslyn, Tito Guizar,
Veloz and Yolanda.
Henry Freulich, “It’s Great to Be
Young,” with Leslie Brooks, Bob Stan¬
ton.
Hal Roach Studios
John W. Boyle, “Curley,” (Cinecolor),
/ want to buy your
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not entirely satisfied.
with Frances Rafferty, Larry Olsen,
Eilene Janssen.
International Pictures
Lucien Ballard, “Bella Donna,” with
Merle Oberon, George Brent, Charles
Korvin, Paul Lukas, Lenore Ulric.
Met ro-Goldwyn- Mayer
Harold Rosson, “My Brother Who
Talked to the Horses,” with Peter Law-
ford, Beverly Tyler, Butch Jenkins.
Joseph Ruttenberg, “A Woman of
My Own,” with Greer Garson, Richard
Hart, Bob Mitchum.
Robert Planck, “Uncle Andy Hardy,”
with Mickey Rooney, Bonita Granville,
Dick Simmons, Dorothy Ford.
Charles Schoenbaum, “The Mighty
McGurk,” with Wallace Beery, Edward
Arnold, Aline McMahon.
Sidney Wagner, ’’High Barbaree,”
with Van Johnson, June Allyson.
Ray June, “Beginning or the End,”
with Lionel Barrymore, Brian Donlevy,
Robert Walker, Beverly Tyler.
Paul Vogel, “Lady in the Lake,” with
Robert Montgomery, Audrey Trotter,
Leon Ames.
Hany Stradling, “Sea of Grass,” with
Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy,
Melvin Douglas.
Monogram
Harry Neumann, “Ghost Busters,”
with Leo Gorcey, Tanis Chandler.
Ira Morgan, “High School Hero,”
with Freddie Stewart, June Preisser,
Ann Rooney.
Paramount
Charles Lang, “Where There’s Life,”
with Bob Hope, Signe Hasso, William
Bendix, George Coulouris.
Jack Greenhalgh, “I Cover Big
Town,” (Pine-Thomas) with Philip
Reed, Hillary Brooke, Robert Lowery.
RKO
Edward Cronjager, “Honeymoon,”
with Shirley Temple, Franchot Tone.
Gregg Toland, “The Best Years of
Our Lives,” (Samuel Goldwyn Prod.)
with Myrna Loy, Frederich March,
Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright.
Lee Garmes, “The Secret Life of Wal¬
ter Mitty,” (Technicolor) (Samuel
Goldwyn Prod.) with Danny Kaye, Vir¬
CAMERA SUPPLY COMPANY
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An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals always in stock.
ginia Mayo, Fay Bainter, Boris Korloff.
Victor Milner, “It’s a Wonderful
Life,” (Liberty Films) with James
Stewart, Dona Reed, Lionel Barrymore,
Thomas Mitchel.
Harry Wild, “Nocturne,” with George
Raft, Lynn Bari.
Robert de Grasse, “Deadlier Than the
Male,” with Claire Trevor, Lawrence
Tierney, Walter Slezak.
Milton Krasner, “Katie for Congress,”
with Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten,
Ethel Barrymore.
Republic
Archie Stout, “Angel and the Out¬
law,” with John Wayne, Irene Rich,
Gail Russell, Bruce Cabot, Harry Carey.
John Alton, “Snow Cinderella,” (Wal¬
ter Colmes Prod.) with Lynne Roberts,
Charles Drake.
20th Century-Fox
Arthur Miller, “The Razor’s Edge,”
with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John
Payne, Anne Baxter, Herbert Marshall,
Anne Revere.
Joe MacDonald, “My Darling Clem¬
entine,” with Henry Fonda, Linda Dar¬
nell, Victor Mature, Cathy Downs, Wal¬
ter Brennan, Ward Bond.
Harry Jackson, “Carnival in Costa
Rica,” (Technicolor) with Dick Haymes,
Celeste Holm, Cesar Romero, Vera-
Ellen.
Glenn MacWilliams, “You’re For Me,”
with Vivian Blaine, Harry James, Car¬
men Miranda, Perry Como, Phil Silvers.
Benjamin Kline, “Flight to Paradise,”
(Sol Wurtzel Prod.) with Paul Kelly,
Osa Massen, Hillary Brooke.
United Artists
Karl Strauss, “The Short Happy
Life of Francis Macomber,” (Award
Prods.) with Gregory Peck, Joan Ben¬
nett, Robert Preston, Reginald Denny.
Leo Tover, “Abie’s Irish Rose,” (Cros¬
by Producers, Inc.) with Michael Chek¬
hov, Joanne Dru, Vera Gordon, George
E. Stone.
Russell Metty, “Bel Ami,” (Loew-
Lewin, Inc.) with George Sanders, An¬
gela Lansbury, Ann Dvorak, Frances
Dee, Marie Wilson.
Lucien Andriot, “Dishonored Lady,”
(Mars Films) with Hedy Lamarr, Den¬
nis O’Keefe, John Loder, William Lun-
digan.
Robert Pittack, “Miss Television,”
(Comet-UA) with David Bruce, Cletus
Caldwell.
Mack Stengler, “The Devil’s Play-
BUY VICTORY BONDS
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220
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
INTERS,
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PRODUCTION & PROJECTION I
LINING UP FOR A CLOSEUP. George Folsey, A.S.C., Director of Photography on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
production. "The Green Years", sets the lighting for a closeup of Hume Cronyn seated at table. Victor
Saville directs the picture.
ground,” (Hopalong Cassidy Prods.)
with William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand
Brooks, Ealine Riley.
Franz Planer, “The Chase,” (Nero
Prods.) with Robert Cummings, Mich¬
ele Morgan.
Universal
Virgil Miller, “The Michigan Kid,”
(Cinecolor) with Jon Hall, Rita John¬
son, Andy Devine.
Hal Mohr and W. Howard Greene,
“Pirates of Monterey,” (Technicolor)
with Maria Montez, Rod Cameron, Philip
Reed, Mikhail Rasumny.
Elwood Bredell, “The Killers,” with
Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner.
Warner Brothers
Sol Polito, “Cloak and Dagger”
(United States Pictures), with Gary
Cooper, Lilli Palmer, Robert Alda.
Sid Hickox, “Cheyenne,” with Dennis
Morgan, Jane Wyman, Janis Paige.
Arthur Edeson, “Stallion Road,” with
Ronald Regan, Zachary Scott, Alexis
Smith.
Peverell Marley and William V. Skall,
“Life With Father” (Technicolor), with
Irene Dunne, William Powell, Elizabeth
Taylor, ZaSu Pitts, Edmund Gwenn.
Ernest Haller, “Deception,” with Bette
Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains.
Carl Guthrie, “Cry Wolf,” with Bar¬
bara Stanwyck, Errol Flynn.
Hill Treasurer of Olesen Co.
Dan H. Hill has been appointed treas¬
urer of the Otto K. Olesen Company,
Hollywood distributors of 16 mm. sound
projectors and lighting apparatus. He
was formerly an executive of Lockheed
Aircraft Corp.
Cooper Promoted by Florez,
Inc.
Ray Cooper has been appointed pho¬
tographic director of Florez, Inc. (for¬
merly Visual Training Corp.) of De¬
troit. Cooper was associated with the
photographic department of General
Motors for several years.
EVERYTHING PHOTOCiHAPM
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
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Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
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for literature.
BELL & HOWELL
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Exclusive world distributors
1848 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Hollywood: 716 N. La Brea Ave.
Washington, D.C.: 1221 G St., N.W.
London: 13-14 Great Casde St.
American Cinematographer • June, 1946
221
Telefilm Office Building
Completed
In addition to housing the Telefilm
executive offices, company’s new building
in Hollywood is being occupied by va¬
rious producers utilizing the Telefilm
production and laboratory facilities,
Company’s expansion plans provide for
erection of a four story building to
house the firm’s studio and laboratories,
with construction to start when mate¬
rials become available.
Murtagh, McKenzie
Promoted by Ansco
Thomas P. Murtagh has been named
executive assistant to E. Allan Willi¬
ford, vice president of General Aniline
and Film Corp. in charge of the Ansco
division. Murtagh has been with Ansco
since 1942, and previously was asso¬
ciated with Eastman Kodak and Con¬
solidated Edison in executive capacities.
Garfield A. McKenzie draws assignment
to new post of chief position analyst.
Sound Services .Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORDI NG
FOR SALE
WE BUY, SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT, NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
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Established since 1910.
200-FT. CAPACITY, detachable magazine, MORI-
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fitted with 28 mm.. 40 mm., and 75 mm.
Apochromat F :2 lenses, and 6" F :2.5, 6 maga¬
zines, sound aperture, focus thru ground glass
or thru aperture, parallax finder, complete — -
$1050.00
400 ft. inside magazine ASKANIA, hand-
dissolved shutter, direct focus, speed indicator, 3
magazines, 2" and 3" Carl Zeiss F:3.5 lenses,
price, complete . $500.00
Complete range of Astro Pan-Tachar and very
fine Cine lenses.
BASS CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St.,
Chicago 2, Ill.
1,000 FT. BELL & HOWELL MAGAZINE,
rubber covered, like new, $75.00. Phone OLympia
8660. Inter-Continental Associates, 1422 N.
Kingsley Drive, Hollywood 27, California.
TWO BELL & HOWELL EYEMO 115 VOLT
AC-DC motors, new $100.00 each. Seven Bell
& Howell Eyemo 400 ft. all metal magazines,
like new, $50.00 each. Fritz Ross, 7321 Victoria
Avenue, Los Angeles 43. Phone PLeasant 1-3065.
FOR SALE— NEW 35MM. 2000 ft. DeVry Sound
projector. Navv Type -D’, Semi-Portable. Ampli¬
fier and Speaker. One set Schneider Xenon
coated lenses unmounted : 28MM. F2, 50MM.
F2.3, 75MM. F2.3, 125MM. F2.3. Also 25MM. F2
Apochromat and 28MM. F2 Apochromat lenses
in DeBrie Parvo mounts. CAMERA MART,
INC., 1610 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood 28,
Calif. HE-7373.
BELL & HOWELL 1,000 FOOT MAGAZINES.
PRESTO DISC RECORDERS 78-33% RPM,
MICROPHONE AND STAND, COMPLETE,
NEW. LIGHTS. TRIPODS, 16MM. CAMERAS
AND PROJECTORS.
CAMERA MART. 70 W. 45TH ST., NEW YORK
PROCESS BACKGROUND OUTFITS, complete,
$6000.00 ; Film Phonographs, $695.00 ; Latest
Galvanometers, $450.00 ; Moviolas, $195.00 ;
Densitometer, $125.00 ; Hollywood 2000W Studio
Fresnel Spots, $57.50 ; 16mm Sound Printers,
$975.00 ; Akeley Newsreel Camera, Gyrotripod,
$795.00; 33% Transcription Record Players,
$19.95 ; Simplex Semi-Professional 35mm dual
Sound Projector Outfits (export only), $995.00 ;
Eyemo 3-speed with heavy tripod, $395.00 ;
Eyemo Turret, price on application. Send for
Listings. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORPO¬
RATION, New York 18.
WANTED
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL B & H EYEMO DEBRIE AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 19
CABLE: CINEQUIP
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO¬
GRAPHIC. Write us today. Hollywood Camera
Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
CINE-SPECIAL, LENSES & ACCESSORIES.
Write stating what you have and prices. Fred C.
Ells, Box 22, Pacific Palisades. California.
LABORATORY, STUDIO, OR RECORDING
Equipment, Sound Projectors, Cameras, Tripods.
Pay Highest Prices. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY
CORPORATION, New York 18.
LENSES WANTED — Will pay top prices and spot
cash for all types of standard lenses such as
Zeiss, Goerz, Steinheil, Cooke, Wollensak, etc.,
etc. Mail lens for examination and state asking
price. Immediate service. Burke & James, Inc.,.
321 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago 4.
WILL PAY TOP PRICES for still cameras such
as Contax, Leica, Rolliefiex, etc., also Cine
cameras and all types of photographic lenses.
Send full description or mail in for examination.
We acknowledge immediately. Photo Lens Co.,.
140 W. 32nd Street, New York City.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16m/m) R. C. A.
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMS, 1101 North Capitol Street,
Washington, D.C.
JACK D. LEPPERT, Cinematographer, profes¬
sionally equipped. Hempstead 1394. 16mm foot¬
age and color shorts economically produced.
6770% Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28.
FILMS EXCHANGED
SOUND FILMS EXCHANGED $1.00 per reel,
plus postage. 400 ft. reel. Sam’s Electric Shop,
35 Monroe St., Passaic, New Jersey.
Mathews With Princeton
Film Center
Norman Mathews, who has had wide
experience in production of training,
documentary and educational films, af¬
filiates with Princeton Film Center as
director of production department.
Ansco Establishes 16mm Color
Processing Plant in L. A.
New processing service for Ansco
16mm. color film has been established at
the company’s Los Angeles branch of¬
fice. Service is designed entirely for west
coast amateurs, and only amateur
lengths of Ansco color film will be han¬
dled. Similar processing facilities will
be installed later this year in Chicago
for midwest customers, company dis¬
closes.
Mitchell Resigns From
Academy Post
Gordon S. Mitchell has resigned as
manager of the Research Council of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences, concluding nearly 15 years
service with the Academy; the last 12
years in the managerial post. Mitchell
returned several months ago after 3%
years service in the Army Signal Corps
as major in command of a motion pic¬
ture unit in the south Pacific area.
June, 1946 • American Cinematographer
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
J. E. BRULATOUR, INC., Distributors
FORT LEE, CHICAGO, HOLLYWOOD
.
ON NEWSREEL assignments or produc¬
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extremely poor, the natural choice is the
high-speed Eastman Super-XX Negative
Film, one of the family of Eastman Films,
industry favorites for more than fifty years.
EASTMAN
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FILMOSOUN
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FILMOSOUND
LIBRARY
offers thousands of films
to rent or buy. Send for
catalogs, free to projector
owners.
The improved Bell & Howell 16mm
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SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PROFESSIONAL MOTION PICTURE EQUIPMENT FOR HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
227
VOL. 27
JULY. 1946
NO. 7
CONTENTS
©
Hollywood Acclaims A. S. C. at 25th Anniversary Banquet . 230
Star Personalities Appear for A. S. C. Birthday Celebration . 235
Aces of the Camera (Daniel B. Clark, a. s. c.) . .By W. G. C. Bosco 240
Through the Editor’s Finder . 242
Cinema Workshop (The Cinematic Idea) . By Charles Loring 244
Filming Today Through Central and South America. .By E. H. Scott 240
Pictorial Interest Is Where You Find It . By James R. Oswald 248
World-Wide Documentary Films, Past, Present, Future . 250
Among the Movie Clubs . 252
The New Norwood Exposure
Meter . By Ralph A. Woolsey and Charles H. Coles 254
Instructing U. S. Signal Corps Photo Companies,
with Major Art Lloyd, a. s. c . 25S
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members . 264
ON THE FRONT COVER Maureen O’Hara and Douglas Fairbanks, jr.
rehearse a scene for RKO’s Technicolor production, “Sinbad.” Director of
Photography George Barnes, A.S.C. (seated at right beside camera), closely
observes the setup.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Garme-s Joseph Walker
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Edward Pyle, Jr.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A- S. C.
Victor Milner, A. S. C.
Alvin Wyckoff. A.S.C.
Farciot Edouart, A. S. C.
Fred Gage. A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A. S. C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A. S. C.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 173 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.
Australian and New Zealand Agents
•
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year ; Foreign. $3.50. Single copies. 25c ;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies 35e.
back numbers 40c. Copyright 1945 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, undo
the act of March 3, 1879.
228
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
A truly professional 16 mm. camera will
soon emerge from the Mitchell Camera
Corporation’s factory in Hollywood. It’s
good news to the makers of commercial
and educational films that — for the first
time — they will be able to obtain a 1 6 mm.
camera designed in the famed Mitchell
tradition. The “Mitchell 16” will meet the
needs of those professionals who want to
achieve top quality 16 mm. photography.
The camera incorporates many exclusive
Mitchell features, which have never before
been built into a 16 mm. camera.
OUTSTANDING DESIGN FEATURES
Two-pin registering movement with two-pin pull
down claw, similar to movement of Mitchell 35 mm.
sound camera. Rack-over mechanism permits focus¬
ing through the photographic lens. Four-lens turret.
Manually adjustable shutter with 175° opening.
Built in Veeder footage counter and frame counter.
400-foot detachable magazine. Motor mounts on
right side of camera. Sturdy light weight friction
head and tripod, lenses and erect image view finder
are part of camera equipment. This camera includes
all necessary Mitchell quality accessories.
M3
Cable Address:
MITCAMCO "
PHONE BR 2-3209
k
^ Eighty-five percent of all motion pictures shown in theatres
throughout the world are photographed with a Mitchell
i
665 NORTH ROBERTSON BLVD., WEST HOLLYWOOD 46, CALIF.
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
229
Hollywood Acclaims A. S. C.
At 25th Anniversary Banquet
FOREMOST stars, producers, studio
executives, directors, and other im¬
portant personalities of Hollywood
production circles gathered at the world-
famed Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassa¬
dor Hotel on the evening of June 17th
to pay tribute to the American Society
of Cinematographers on the occasion of
its 25th anniversary celebration.
The banquet and ball was unanimously
voted the finest affair of its kind ever
presented in west coast film circles. It
was exclusively an all-industry affair and
not open to the outside public, with the
limited attendance of 800 preventing
overcrowding of guests in the large audi¬
torium.
Eric Johnston, president of Motion Pic¬
ture Association of America, as prin¬
cipal speaker of the evening, stressed
the importance of motion pictures as the
major instrument of creating peace and
understanding among the nations of the
world in these troublesome times. Darryl
Zanuck, production head of Twentieth-
Fox Studios, in his address, pointed out
the important part played by motion pic¬
ture photography in World War II and
declared the important work of the cam¬
era must continue for the enlightenment
of the peoples of the world for greater
understanding one to another.
Cecil B. DeMille, producer-director of
one of the early five reel features — back
33 years ago — sincerely lauded the cine¬
matographers for continual striving for
perfection in their art; but there never
must be any complacency. In referring
to the anticipated growth of international
competition in film production, Mr. De¬
Mille declared that such international
competition will give the world better
motion pictures — and better motion pic¬
tures will generate larger and more ap¬
preciative audiences.
Louis B. Mayer, executive head of
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, spoke briefly to
congratulate the organization and its
members for past accomplishments, and
express confidence in future advance¬
ments.
Following dinner, Leon Shamroy, First
Vice President of A.S.C., stepped to the
microphone to welcome the guests and
introduce Jack Carson as master of cere¬
monies for the evening. Carson then
introduced Messrs. DeMille, Zanuck,
Mayer and Johnston in that order. En¬
tertainment program then followed as
detailed on other pages of this issue.
Address by Cecil B. DeMille
Mr. Carson, Mayor Bowron, Members
of the American Society of Cinematogra¬
phers, Ladies and Gentlemen:
In this company there’s no chance for
a retake, so I am going to read my notes.
ERIC JOHNSTON
President, Motion Picture Assn, of America
Young fellows like Louis Mayer, Eric
Johnston and Darryl Zanuck can talk off
the cuff — but when you get as old as I
am, you remember as much — (about so
many) that it’s wiser to stick to the
script — or you’ll wear the poor listener
out with garrulous recollections of
things past.
Tonight, you gentlemen of the Ameri¬
can Society of Cinematographers may
well be proud of your accomplishments —
but I hope you will never be satisfied
with them. This is a time for congratu¬
lations — but there is never a time for
resting on our laurels. Your job is not
done. Success has its dangers and per¬
haps the greatest of these is compla¬
cency. I remember reading somewhere
that early in the Nineteenth Century a
motion was introduced in Congress to
close the Patent Office — there was noth¬
ing new to be discovered or invented.
Fortunately, Mr. Morse, Mr. Bell, Mr.
Edison, Mr. Marconi, the Wright Broth¬
ers and a thousand others didn’t feel
that way.
Like other sciences and arts, motion
pictures cannot stand still. America
seized the lead in the science and art of
the cinema during the first World War.
We can hold that lead only by ingenuity
and effort. Within the next quarter cen¬
tury, international competition will be
keener than it has been at any time since
1914. You have only to see some of the
best of the English, Italian, Russian and
French films to know that we have no
monopoly on cinema brains and brilliance
— though at present we have on technical
things.
To change the old saying, the first 25
years weren’t the hardest — the next 25
will be. But, as Mr. Churchill said, when
England stood alone after Dunkirk, “per¬
sonally, I find that rather bracing.”
Competition will keep us on our toes.
I have never been one of those who
looked upon the foreign producer as a
dreadful interloper. On the contrary, in¬
ternational competition will give the
world better motion pictures — and better
motion pictures will give us still larger
and more appreciative audiences, which
will help us all. And in the competitive
race ahead, I have the fullest confidence
that the American industry pulling to¬
gether can more than hold its own.
When the A.S.C. was born, I was a
veteran of eight years in motion pictures.
You and I have seen the industry come
of age. I always keep near me in my
office an old Pathe camera with which
A1 Gandolfi shot “The Squaw Man” — the
the same one used by Alvin Wyckoff for
“The Whispering Chorus.” Bert Glennon
shot many scenes for “The Ten Com¬
mandments” with it, and Pev Marley for
“The King of Kings.” Beside the mod¬
ern camera, it’s like a one horse shay
beside a jet propelled plane. But it’s a
symbol of what has occurred in every
department of production since you and
I were young.
To recall some of the problems we had
to deal with in those days — when Jesse
Lasky and I were making them and
Louis B. Mayer, thank goodness, was
buying them— and since no motion pic¬
ture gathering can proceed without a
story about Sam Goldwyn — I’m going to
tell one now.
David Griffith, God bless him, invented
the closeup, as you know. He was the
first man to make a camera think. In one
scene I was taking a closeup of a man
seated beside a lamp. We wanted to get
a natural effect. The cameraman thought
we could do it with spot lighting. So
Wilfred Buckland raided the old Mason
Opera House and borrowed one spot to
light the side of the man’s face nearest
the lamp. Jesse Lasky and I were very
proud of the result till we sent the prints
to Sam Goldwyn in New York to sell.
Sam wired me, “Cecil, you have ruined
us. You only show half the actor’s face.
The exhibitors will only pay half price
for it.”
I wired back, “If you and the exhibi-
230
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
tors don’t know Rembrandt lighting
when you see it, it’s too bad for both of
you.” Then I got another telegram from
Sam. It read: “Cecil, it is marvelous.
For Rembrandt lighting, the exhibitors
will pay double!”
Yes, there were laughs in those days —
and some tears, too. And out of the
laughter and tears and the hard work, a
great art was arising — a newcomer, a
baby among the arts — cinematography.
Did you ever hear a cameraman speak
of his camera as his baby? The first
cameras were very much like babies —
they couldn’t walk, they couldn’t talk,
they couldn’t even see too well. But that
baby had some devoted fathers.
You nursed it along. You taught it to
see and eventually to talk. With the in¬
vention of the boom we had moving pic¬
tures that really moved. Things were
going very well — when Crash! Came
Sound!
The camera was imprisoned in a little
glass booth. Actors and actresses rushed
from the Broadway stage to replace the
dimming stars of the silent screen. The
cinema became static — because the cam¬
era wouldn’t move out of its glass prison,
we were photographing stage plays.
I am sure everyone here has his own
version of how the sound camera was
invented, but I think Doug Shearer and
Wesley Miller will remember how, one
day, an irascible director literally
dragged the camera out of its glass house
and wrapped it in common bed blankets
to deaden its noise, and about a week
later our baby was put in its first cradle
— “The Blimp” — and it began to walk
again and to talk at the same time.
Those were only a few of the great mo¬
ments that you and I have shared.
Color photography has its own excit¬
ing story. The perfection of transparen¬
cies and miniatures has made possible
what Mahomet failed to do — 'they
brought the mountain into the studio, in¬
stead of the studio going to the moun¬
tain. These brilliant developments made
possible shots that would otherwise have
been out of the question.
The fine art that will forever be asso¬
ciated with the name of Walt Disney
merits a chapter all its own. In the
vaults of the War Department are stored
reels upon reels containing one of the
most significant developments of our in¬
dustry — the documentary film. And we
have only scratched the surface of that
new field which will revolutionize the
teaching of our children — audio-visual
education.
We have brought our baby up to this
point by pulling together like a cham¬
pion football team. Cameramen, direc¬
tors, producers, stars, extras, techni¬
cians, carpenters, painters, grips, every¬
body.
It was the spirit of pulling together —
the family spirit — was one of the things
that made this industry great. It will
stay great as long as we keep that family
spirit. All the members of the family
are grown up now — the danger is that,
like many a modern family, we may
begin to pull apart — that some of us may
begin to think that we are bigger than
our art or that our personal or group
interests are more important than work¬
ing together to serve the public and to
LOUIS B. MAYER DARRYL F. ZANUCK CECIL B. DE MILLE
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
231
serve the art that has given us all we
have.
If any of us — individuals or groups —
go down that selfish path, it will be the
beginning of the end. We shall lose what
we have built up. Destiny does strange
things to those who do not appreciate
tne great gifts placed in their hands.
You gentlemen of the A.S.C. have a
large share in the credit for blazing
trails in the past 25 years. You have a
large share in the responsibility for
keeping to those trails in the next 25.
Among the many stars added to your
crown during the past quarter century
is one that I could hardly fail to men¬
tion tonight — your long suffering pa¬
tience with me!
When Charlie Rosher invited me to
speak here tonight he was kind enough
to say some nice things about my co¬
operation with you. But the little I may
have given you has been more than re¬
paid by the much that you have given us.
In all the industry and to all the in¬
dustry, there has been no more loyal or
creative or valuable service than that
rendered by the American Society of
Cinematographers.
No one can tell in words alone the
value to our industry — and so to Amer¬
ica and to the world — of the accumulated
years of service we honor tonight in
celebrating this silver anniversary of the
A.S.C.
When the motion picture public sees
among the screen credits those three
letters — A.S.C. — after the cameraman’s
name, they may but idly wonder what
they stand for. But we know.
We know that those letters are like a
patent of nobility in this great motion
picture empire. They are like Distin¬
guished Service Crosses awarded to the
best soldiers in an army which has
peacefully conquered the whole world.
You are the oldest organized group
in the industry — and so you have the
responsibility that goes with age. Wis¬
dom should guide your group in the
future as in the past. Your compass
should be as it has been — cooperation —
not blind, self-interest — but the good
of all.
Those letters — A.S.C. should always be
symbols of an enduring friendship — a
friendship between the devoted masters
of a great art and all the rest of us who
have our parts in this great industry.
A friendship that stretches back for
25 years, that will go forward, I hope,
unbroken for the years to come, as long
as we live and after we are gone.
So, as an old kibitzer standing beside
the camera while you men stand behind
it, I say to you:
You have done a wonderful job during
the first 25 years, now bend your backs
and bow ycur brains so that at the end
of the next quarter century I may look
down from heaven or up from . . . where
you have probably sent me many times,
and say, “My, weren’t we old fashioned!”
Address by Darryl F. Zanuck
Members of the American Society of
Cinematographers, Ladies and Gentle¬
men:
When Leland Stanford tried that little
experiment with a running horse a great
many years ago, when he lined up some
24 cameras in an effort to find out ex¬
actly how a horse could run, I am sure
he did not realize that that original ex¬
periment born from the mind of a great
horse breeder, a scientific mind, was
really and actually the first step in the
creation of the universal language; that
it was one of the original developments
that led to the production of motion pic¬
tures — the motion picture camera.
Today we have but one universal lan¬
guage in the world. It has taken two
world wars for civilization to realize the
potentialities of motion pictures. But at
last I am certain that every government
and every agency of every government
recognizes the value, not only for enter¬
tainment but for enlightenment, of mo¬
tion pictures. We see examples of it on
every side.
In the late World War I am certain
that we are all aware of the fact of the
great part played by photography, not
only the films that we were able to
see, but photography in preparation for
the most important missions. It has
brought down to us a great responsibil¬
ity, a responsibility that must not and
cannot end now that we have this — shall
I say — temporary peace. We are the
guardians of a great device. We cannot
curtail our efforts. The end of the war
did not signal for us the end of our ac¬
tivities. We have this tremendous weap¬
on of propaganda. It is vitally impor¬
tant that, as guardians of this weapon,
we use it as offensively in the future for
peace as we used it during the war for
the purposes of warfare.
We all know that the power of the
camera can make friends. We have seen
the part that it has been able to play
in the elimination of enemies, working
together as a team whether we always
like it or not. The central spot of our
industry, or of our effort, must be and
will continue to be the camera. It is a
great responsibility; it is a responsibility
we all share. While this is an industry
of entertainment it must not continue to
be solely an instrument of entertainment.
There is enlightenment. While that is
not our specific task, we cannot, we must
not, ignore it if we are to remain the
important force that we have become in
the world affairs of the last few years.
Now I envy all of the cameramen. I
envy you because you have come to the
top in the most highly competitive pro¬
fession in the entire world, certainly in
the United States. Every American is
potentially a cameraman, whether it be
with a Brownie or with his little 16
millimeter. I don’t know how you really
became a professional caremaman be¬
cause I know that there isn’t a man,
woman or child in the world who hasn’t
fancied himself a photographer. Yet you
men have come to the top of your pro¬
fession out of a field where the compe¬
tition is probably greater than in any
other profession. For that I envy you.
After all, not a great many people have
tried to produce a picture; it isn’t quite
Inspecting Pathe motion picture camera of 30 years ago which was displayed at A.S.C. Silver Anniversary
Ball. Left to right: LEON SHAMROY, First Vice-President of A.S.C.; JACK CARSON; LEONARD SMITH,
President of A.S.C;. and LINDA DARNELL.
232
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Comfortably reclining in a divan carried by four huskies, ERROL FLYNN caricatured the Director of Pho
tography of the future for rousing laughs.
as difficult, I am sure, as becoming an
expert cameraman.
You are more than photographers to¬
day; you are portrait painters using
lights and shadows. You have become in
our industry the one division or section
that strives eternally for perfection. I
know of no other branch of our industry
where the competition and the desire
for perfection is so keen. As a matter of
fact I often wish when it gets near 6
o’clock and we have a big crowd on the
set and we haven’t got that last shot in
the bag, that you weren’t quite so per¬
fect. I would like to get it before 6
o’clock. But in any event you are all
perfectionists, and for that we all admire
you.
In closing I should also pay a tribute
to those members of your Society who
are not present tonight — not all of them
— and they are the combat cameramen of
World War II. No braver, nor more
courageous group served in any branch
of the armed forces. You have only to
look at the mortality rate to realize and
recognize their contribution to victory.
They have left behind them for future
generations to see, the most amazing his¬
torical record imaginable. They have
photographed in all its horror and detail
not only battles, the victories and the
defeats of World War II, but the events
that led up to it. Think what this means.
It means that future generations will
have an opportunity to see these films
when they are properly catalogued and
they will owe most assuredly a great
debt to the combat caremamen of World
War II.
On your twenty-fifth anniversary I
salute you in the name of Edison, Lu-
miere, Pathe, and all of those who blazed
the trail. I am certain that the future
generations when they have the time to
look at the record that has been left
behind in the archives of World War II
— I am certain that civilization — can only
benefit. Thank you.
Address by Louis B. Mayer
Members of the American Society of
Cinematographers, Ladies and Gentle¬
men:
This is a memorable night. The twenty-
fifth anniversary of the formation of
your organization. First, I thank you
for giving me the privilege of recording
my enthusiasm in your past accomplish¬
ments and confidence in your future ad¬
vancements.
I don’t think it is necessary to make
any long speeches tonight. But I did
want to have the opportunity, in the
moment that I will hold you, to tell you
that our pictures lead the world. You
have played a leading and important part
in your fine contribution to our pictures.
You have met every challenge. With
each challenge, and the more difficult it
was the greater was your determination
to meet it. So you and your wonderful
art have continued to progress.
The photography of motion pictures
will always advance and when I greet
you next at your golden jubilee we will
recall this night and say, “We thought
you were great then; you were infants in
the industry then; you are wonderful
now.” God bless you.
Address by Eric Johnston
Mr. Carron, and My Friends of the
Motion Picture Industry:
It is grand to be out from under the
mental fogs of Washington and be able
to look at the stars in Southern Cali¬
fornia. I am even glad to be with the
photographers tonight because they know
that light travels faster than sound. But
back in Washington they rever e the
process — sound travels faster than light.
A sober anniversary is important to
any man, but this bears a double signifi¬
cance became it marks the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the progress and develop¬
ment of the art of cinematography. I am
not going to discuss your glorious past;
others have done that before me. I want
to talk just a moment about your mag¬
nificent future.
You have a great opportunity to pho¬
tograph a changing world and those
photographs will go down to all porterity
so chat they can know what we tried to
do during this age. We are in a great
world of change and conflict and contrast.
We have the contrast all the way from
the tremendous progress of the scientific
age and the atomic bomb, to the bleak
destruction in which the world finds
itself.
Tonight public opinion is focused on
another continent — Paris, France — where
the Ministers of four nations are sitting
down together and attempting to work
out the jigsaw puzzle and piece together
again the remnants of a broken world.
What they do in Paris will have a pro¬
found effect upon your lives and upon
posterity as well. You are photographing
that tonight — you will keep it for pos¬
terity.
In this great age of change we find
that we have won a great war, but there
is no peace. We have a United Nations,
but there is no world unity. We are
clamoring for production and yet our ma¬
chine is stalled in the mire of dissension.
We haven’t signed the peace treaty for
World War II, and we are talking about
World War III. It is inevitable that this
; hould leave fear in the hearts of men;
fear, perhaps, that we are unable to gov¬
ern ourselves; fear, that perhaps liberties
and these freedoms that we have strug¬
gled fcr throughout the centuries should
be turned over to someone else.
Now that is where we in the motion
p'cture industry come in. Because this
fear stems, in my opinion, from the fact
that we have learned how to make a
living but we haven’t learned how to live
together. The motion picture industry
can show us how to live together. It is
a message that can go across boundaries.
It has been said that the motion picture
is the literature of the masses. It is more
than that. It is something which all na¬
tions understand.
The motion picture, in my opinion, can
sell anything. It can sell tolerance — it
can sell the brotherhood of man. Yes, I
believe that it can even sell peace.
Now there are many hard years ahead
of us. But, in my opinion, we in Amer-
(Continued on Page 266)
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
233
GENE KELLY
GERALDINE SUTTER
RED SKELTON
DANNY KAYE
The internationally famous stars
of Screen and Radio who enter¬
tained guests at the Silver Anni¬
versary Celebration of the
American Society of
Cinematographers.
CHARLIE AND EDGAR BERGEN
JACK CARSON, DENNIS MORGAN, KAYE AND KELLY
CARMEN MIRANDA AND KAYE
Star Personalities In
Great Show For
A. S. C. Birthday
Celebration
JACK CARSON
Hollywood will long talk about
the outstanding entertainment
staged for members of the film in¬
dustry at the twenty-fifth anniversary
celebration of the American Society of
Cinematographers, held at the world-fa¬
mous Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador
Hotel on the evening of June 17, 1946.
Paced by the brilliant Jack Carson as
master of ceremonies, the show was
launched at a fast clip, and continued
at a hilarious tempo straight through
to the finish.
Red Skelton, Geraldine Sutter, Danny
Kaye, Carmen Miranda, Gene Kelly, Ed¬
gar Bergen, Dennis Morgan, Robert
Alda and Linda Darnell — not forgetting
the inimitable Carson — were the screed
and radio stars of foremost rank who
appeared on the program. Consensus
was that the show proved to be the great¬
est and most entertaining presented in
Hollywood since the inception of the
American Society of Cinematographers
more than a quarter century ago. Great
credit for this accomplishment must go —
not only to those appearing — but to pro¬
ducer-director David Butler who so ably
assembled the program with James Kern
as his associate.
Show opened with a series of lap
blackouts on the evolution of the camera¬
man. Leon Errol stumbled in first as
the cameraman of the early days stag¬
gering under his camera, tripod, still
camera and bags of equipment. Alan
Hale, attired in plus fours, represented
the second phase of the camera artist —
when the latter rated an assistant who
carried all the equipment with the ex¬
ception of the camera and tripod. Ronald
Reagan, in trench coat and beret, repre¬
sented the motion picture caremaman of
today — peering through a telescope and
followed by three assistants who took
over the carrying of camera and ac¬
cessories. The cameraman of the future,
portrayed by Errol Flynn, was repre¬
sented as a master-mind lolling in a divan
carried on the shoulders of four slaves.
The blackout brought rounds of applause
from the audience.
Carson then sang “We Went on Danc¬
ing,” with comedy lyrics; was interrupted
by Robert Alda for instruction on proper
song delivery; and the pair was then
joined by Dennis Morgan and Linda Dar¬
nell for a turn.
Red Skelton Scores
Red Skelton appeared to comment, “I
thought we’d never get around to the
funny stuff,” and then held the stage for
impressions of various types of speakers
in front of the microphone; impressions
of a playback on the sound stage; his
inimitable caricatures of reactions of
noted stars when shot as film bad men;
and his famous dunking routine. Some¬
where along the line he tossed off the
quip, “That Hercules plane Howard
Hughes is building is not for the gov¬
ernment. He intends it to be a billboard
for ‘The Outlaw’.” Skelton literally
knocked himself out while on the stage,
and received a terrific ovation at the
finish.
Geraldine Sutter, recently placed un¬
der term contract by Paramount, made
a most auspicious debut in Hollywood by
singing two song numbers. An operatic
soprano of great accomplishment, Miss
Sutter should become a solid performer
in films for Paramount.
Danny Kaye Terrific
Danny Kaye was next to talk a com¬
edy song, and follow it with a number
with Mrs. Kaye accompanying. Kaye
clicked solidly, and then brought Carmen
Miranda to the platform, informing the
audience that he intended to interpret
her Brazilian songs. The idea went over
with a bang, and then Miss Miranda
continued to sing several of her popular
numbers, with “Tica Tica” for the finale.
Gene Kelly was introduced next for a
soft shoe dance routine, followed by an
acrobatic solo dance number the like of
which has never been seen by a Holly¬
wood audience of celebrities.
Bergen and Charlie
Edgar Bergen, A.S.C., then marched on
with the pestiferous Charlie McCarthy,
(Continued on Page 265)
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
235
Three views of the Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel on evening of June
25th Anniversary Celebration
17th, when the Hollywood film industry saluted the A.S.C. at
Ball.
236
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
★ ★ The Stars Were There! ★ ★
LUCIEN ANDRIOT, A.S.C., EDWARD CRONJAGER, A.S.C., ALAN HALE, JOHN ARNOLD, A.S.C., MRS. STANLEY CORTEZ (HELGA STORME), LEON
MRS. CHARLES CLARKE, and CHARLES CLARKE, A.S.C. SHAMROY, A.S.C., and STANLEY CORTEZ, A.S.C.
* L
V
-
r
JOSEPH RUTTENBERG, A.S.C., left, with GREER GARSON and RICHARD NEY GEORGE FOLSEY, A.S.C., and JUDY GARLAND
SHIRLEY TEMPLE, left, and JAMES STEWART
Producer-Director FRANK CAPRA, left, and JOSEPH WALKER, A.S.C.
237
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
Everybody Had A Good Time!
Seated: LEON SHAMROY, A.S.C., Producer-Director LEO McCAREY, Pro¬
ducer-Director DAVID BUTLER. Standing: ARTHUR EDESON, A.S.C., and
CHARLES ROSHER, A.S.C.
EDWARD CRONJAGER, A.S.C.. JOHN ARNOLD, A.S.C. , WILLIAM GER¬
MAN, vice-president and general manager of J. E. Brulatour, Inc., ARLENE
DAHL, Warner starlet, and GEORGE GIBSON of Brulatour, Inc.
WILLIAM GRADY, M-G-M executive, KATHARINE HEPBURN, and KARL MRS. GREGORY PECK, GREGORY PECK, HOWARD STRICKLING, and
FREUND, A.S.C. CHARLES ROSHER, A.S.C.
ARTHUR EDESON, A.S.C., and Producer-
Director DAVID BUTLER who was chairman of
entertainment
MRS. JOHN ARNOLD, MR. and MRS.
GENE KELLEY, JOHN ARNOLD, A.S.C.
Producer-Director LEO McCAREY with PHIL
ROSEN, one of the organizers and First Presi¬
dent of American Society of Cinematographers
238
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
I t’s what you do
with
EASTMAN
PLUS X
NEGATIVE
which proves
that even we
canyt talk enough
about it -
J. E. BRULATOUR, I
FORT LEE CHICAGO
C.
HOLLYWOOD
ACES
of the
CAMERA
Daniel B. Clark, A. S. C.
by W. G. C. Bosco
IN this issue it is our privilege to
write about a man whose efforts and
contributions to the art and craft of
cinematography have been many and
varied — whose name has appeared fre¬
quently in these pages as they recorded
his achievements and headed his highly
instructive articles — and who has twice
been honored with the presidency of the
American Society of Cinematographers:
Daniel B. Clark, A.S.C.
From the time he entered the mo¬
tion picture business as an assistant
cameraman soon after his discharge
from the army after World War I, to
his recent retirement from the highly
responsible position of Executive Direc¬
tor of Photography for 20th Century-
Fox, Dan Clark has piled up over 150
major productions to his credit, three
awards from the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences for technical
and scientific achievements, and a solid
reputation among a host of friends and
admirers as a hunter, fisherman and
regular fellow.
His initiation into the camera frater¬
nity resulted in a considerable financial
sacrifice when he gave up a job with
the telephone company at $48.00 per
week (every week) for the $18.00 offered
for his services at Fox Studios. But
when he found himself assigned to the
Tom Mix company he decided that he
had made a wise choice after all, and
that money wasn’t everything.
The first day’s work took the company
out to Newhall, a long-time favorite loca¬
tion for Western pictures in the foothills
a few miles from Hollywood, where the
script called for Mix to ride and rope,
leap from a speeding train, and engage
generally in the activities which the pub¬
lic had come to expect from its favorite
Western star. And all accomplished, of
course, at the expense of considerable
energy and effort on the part of the cam¬
era crew.
The rugged physique Dan had built up
as a boxer stood him in good stead in
those days. And his aptitude for photog¬
raphy and photo-chemistry gave him an
edge. In three years he had won his
spurs.
Tom Mix had millions of fans, but no
one admired the cowboy star more than
Dan, who found in the actor all the best
qualities of a man. The two became fast
friends and remained so until Tom’s un¬
timely death.
As production cameraman for Mix,
Dan pioneered the use of the National
Parks and Monuments as background?
for action pictures. The judicious use of
these pictorial backgrounds helped to
give Dan’s photography a quality of
artistry that won for him early recogni¬
tion as a cameraman of distinction. Since
then he has traveled all over the world,
even into seldom visited sections of the
Arctic and the Tropics, in pursuit of pic¬
torial settings. He also has the distinc¬
tion of having wielded a camera from
every type of moving vehicle, including
a plane at 25,000 feet and a submarine
below the surface of the ocean.
Dan seems to like pioneering. During
his years with Fox he developed the use
of incandescent light. Again, he was in¬
strumental in introducing the lightmeter
into studio practice and standardizing its
use in his home studio; from which the
practice spread rapidly throughout the
industry. He was also intimately asso¬
ciated with the experiments on 70 mm.
‘Grandeur’ film, and, if rumor can be
credited, effectively lent his knowledge
and experience to the current work under
way at Fox on the hush-hush 50 mm.
film.
With a passion for phototechnical con¬
sistency, and a practical understanding
and appreciation for the value of stand¬
ardization of such factors as light and
lens from the cameraman’s viewpoint,
Dan as Executive Supervisor of Photog¬
raphy, worked out a method of correctly
calibrating lenses according to their light
transmission factors; thus standardizing
the f. value of all lenses regardless of
their focal length.
Incidentally, it will be of interest to
cameramen to note here that among the
more than three hundred lenses tested
and calibrated at Fox Studios under
Dan’s system and supervision some were
found to vary as much as 200% from a
given f. stop.
The value to the industry of Dan’s
efforts on this matter of lens calibration
was hailed far and wide, and won for
him one of the coveted awards from the
Research Council of the Academy as well
as filling pages in the phototechnical
journals around the world.
As head of the Photographic Depart-
(Continued on Page 263)
240
July, 1946 * American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer •
July, 1946
241
THROUGH the EDITOR'S FINDER
IT WAS the greatest event of its kind
ever presented by a group or or¬
ganization of the Hollywood film
colony. That was the unanimous con¬
sensus of the hundreds of stars, pro¬
ducers, executives, directors and others
identified with the production of motion
pictures, on the banquet and ball com¬
memorating the twenty-fifth anniversary
of the American Society of Cinematogra¬
phers.
First formal affair of the Hollywood
industry since the conclusion of the war,
it had dignity, brief — but pointed —
speeches by outstanding leaders of the
business, and a whirlwind program of en¬
tertainment by film and radio stars, the
like of which had seldom been assembled
on an individual occasion.
In addition to extending most sincere
thanks to the guest speakers and artists
who combined to make the affair such a
smashing success, the American Society
of Cinematographers is extremerly grate¬
ful to producer-director David Butler and
his associate, James Kern, in assembling
and pacing such a fine show. Not to be
overlooked in passing credits around was
the valiant work of President Leonard
Smith, First Vice-President Leon Sham-
roy, Second Vice-President Charles Ro-
sher, Arthur Edeson, A.S.C., and Execu¬
tive Vice-President Fred W. Jackman in
handling the most strenuous prepara¬
tions for the event — which is an impor¬
tant milestone in the glorious history of
the A.S.C.
As Others Viewed It
Rather than give our own and most
enthusiastic impressions of the silver an¬
THEODOR SPARKUHL, A.S.C.
Theodor Sparkuhl, A.S.C., died after but a
few days illness on June 13th at Santa Fe
hospital. For more than three decades, he
was a prominent cinematographer — first in
Europe, and Director of Photography on Hol¬
lywood productions since 1 93 1 . Born in Han¬
over, Germany, and graduate of several uni¬
versities of the latter country, Sparkuhl started
in the film industry on the projector sales
staff for Leon Gaumont in 1911, but a year
later was behind the camera for Gaumont
News.
He became associated with Ernst Lubitsch
at UFA Studios, Berlin, until 1923, when the
director departed for Hollywood. Continuing
on with UFA until 1928, he had short stretches
with BIP in London and a studio in Paris be¬
fore arriving in Hollywood in late 1931.
Signed to contract as a Director of Photogra¬
phy by Paramount shortly after, he remained
with that studio for 13 years. During the
period, he was responsible for photography
on numerous productions for that company.
Recent achievements included Photographic
Direction on Cagney's "Blood on the Sun,"
and "Bachelor's Daughters."
Funeral services were held June 15th at the
Church of the Recessional at Forest Lawn.
He is survived by his widow and five children.
niversary party of the organization, let’s
reprint some comments from newspaper
syndicate writers who were present.
Dorothy Manners, in her column for
International News Service, wrote:
Afterthoughts on the American Society
of Cinematographers’ twenty-fifth anni¬
versary ball at the Cocoanut Grove: the
really fine speech and impression made
by Eric Johnston, his most impressive
appearance yet before the flock. . . .
Carmen Miranda’s white beaded gown
cut down to here and up to there, topped
with white aigrettes in her hair. . . .
Red Skelton wrecking his dinner jacket
in a hilarious routine, sliding the entire
length of the dance floor on his shoulder.
. . . Jack Carson’s ingratiating M. C.
routine. He’s just about tops. . . . Gene
Kelly’s heart tapping soft shoe routine.
. . . Candid cameramen snapping every
mouthful of food Gregory Peck ate. . . .
The delightful hospitality of the Charlie
Roshers. . . . The wonderful clowning of
Danny Kaye, Carson, Dennis Morgan and
Edgar Bergen. . . . Maureen O’Hara’s
ultra severe hair-do that only a dream
boat could wear, and then not often.
Greer Garson and Richard Ney vying
with Jane Wyman and Ronnie Reagan
for ‘best dancing couple’ honors. . . . The
caricature on the evolution of the cam¬
eraman put on by Leon Errol, Ronnie
Reagan and Errol Flynn. All in all, one
of the best of the industry parties.”
Hedda Hopper’s column observed:
“About every top name in pictures
showed at the Cinematographers twenty-
fifth anniversary banquet to pay tribute
to the boys who take the bags from un¬
der the eyes and lift those fallen chins.
Louis B. Mayer made a stirring speech.
Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye, Carmen Mi¬
randa and Red Skelton put on a great
show.”.
Edith Gwynn, in the Hollywood Re¬
porter, commented several days later:
“People are still talking about the really
great show put on at the American So¬
ciety of Cinematographers’ dinner at the
Grove. No doubt about it, it raised the
prestige of the photogs to a place where
they belong. The lengthy list of star
performers was great — Jack Carson,
Danny Kaye, Carmen Miranda being par¬
ticularly sensational.”
George Phair, whose column is a
bright spot in Daily Variety, said: “Once
a year at the Oscar Awards and the
second time, at their banquet, they are
the American Society of Cinematogra¬
phers. The rest of the year they are
only cameramen but they do more for
the film industry than a flock of execs.”
Florabel Muir, in her widely syndi¬
cated column, wrote: “The best friends
and severest critics of the movie stars — •
the men behind the cameras — had their
night to howl Monday. On every other
day of the year they’re squinting crit¬
ically through their finders looking for
flaws and faults in lighting, make-up,
decoration. They do that because per¬
fection is their objective. Monday night
the industry turned out pretty much en
masse to level its finders on the A.S.C.
And the A.S.C. gave everybody a great
show. Incidentally, if the salaries and
incomes represented at the Cocoanut
Grove were stacked up beside the Fort
Knox gold reserve, you could hardly tell
the difference.”
Jimmy Starr columned: “The show
which had Jack Carson for an M. C. was
terrific. . . . Red Skelton wowed ’em,
Danny Kaye floored ’em, Carmen Mi¬
randa knocked ’em silly, and Eddie Ber¬
gen had ’em daffy. . . . Others who con¬
tributed to the general entertainment
were Gene Kelly, Linda Darnell and Den¬
nis Morgan . . . David Butler staged the
show and deserves a nice pat on the back
for it.”
DESPITE the discouraging handi¬
caps encountered by the various
manufacturers of motion picture
cameras, projectors, and accessories in
securing necessary metals and raw ma¬
terials for peacetime volume production
during the past eight months, it is most
interesting to note the determined op¬
timism of executives of several manufac¬
turers in laying long-range plans for
stepped-up production which will grad¬
ually overcome the present shortages,
and meet requirements on a normal
basis in the future.
Bell & Howell purchased the Lincoln-
wood plant in Chicago — constructed or¬
iginally at a cost of $2,225,000 — from
Reconstruction Finance Corp., and then
proceeded to build another structure of
24,000 square feet nearby. Mitchell Cam¬
era Co., which has been making precision
35 mm. motion picture cameras for many
years, gave positive notice of its expan¬
sion plans for fabrication of 16 mm. pro¬
fessional model cameras by acquiring a
four story building adjacent to its base
plant to take care of greatly-increased
production.
Also of material future benefit to po¬
tential purchasers of 16 mm. sound pro¬
jectors and equipment is the announce¬
ment that Ampro Corporation, a sub¬
sidiary of General Precision Equipment
Corporation, will enjoy the benefits of
the work of the leading physicists and
engineers on the staff of General Preci¬
sion’s new research and development lab¬
oratory. This direct research connection
for Ampro will provide access to out¬
standing research and engineering fa¬
cilities heretofore unavailable to the
company.
242
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
THE FOCO SPOT is for use with the
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slides.
Single Broad
500 to 750 Watts
The Dinky-Inkie
100 to 150 Watt Spot
The Double Broad
2000 Watts
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The Baby Keg-Lite
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THE BABY KEG-LITE (shown above) is
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V>OLOR photography is the thing,
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Bardwell & McAlister Lighting Equip¬
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The Junior Spot
1000-2000 Watts
for literature
describing the Baby Keg-
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Junior Spot (1000-2000
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BOX 1310, HOLLYWOOD 28, CALIFORNIA
The Cinema
Workshop
1. The Cinematic Idea
By CHARLES LORING
(Editor’s Note: The following article
is the first of a series of features de¬
voted to the production requirements of
the advanced amateur and semi-profes¬
sional film-maker. Cinema Workshop
will present each month a different phase
of motion picture production, from the
original idea to the final presentation of
the film on the screen. Wherever pos¬
sible, professional studio techniques will
be presented and analyzed so that they
may be available for practical use in
production.)
THE motion picture is many things
to many people. To the financier it
is a huge financial enterprize —
America’s fourth largest industry — an
empire of studios, theatres, and the
merry sound of money tinkling at the
box-office. To the average theatregoer it
is an evening’s relaxation, his best all¬
round form of entertainment, an escape
from hum-drum reality into a world of
celluloid glamour. To the modern indus¬
trialist and educator it is a potent in¬
strument of instruction. To the hobbyist
it is a pleasant, creative way to make
idle hours happy and productive.
To each one the motion picture means
something different — and yet, for every¬
one it has certain things in common.
Firstly, the motion picture is not just
one process. Rather, it is a combination
of several arts and technical processes
blended together to produce an active
result on a strip of film edged in sprock¬
et holes. Writing, direction, photography,
acting, cutting, sound recording, and a
series of allied processes all have a share
in the final picture as it appears on the
the screen — and it is up to the film¬
maker to make each one of these tools
work for him instead of allowing him¬
self to become swamped by them.
The Idea As a Basis
Perhaps the foremost feature that all
motion pictures have in common is the
fact that each one is based upon an idea.
No matter whether it be a Hollwood
photoplay, a documentary film, or a home
movie record of the family — every suc¬
cessful motion picture has as its basis a
definite cinematic idea.
A film that is made without a cen¬
tral idea is nothing but a hodge podge
of disconnected shots that fit clumsily
together, have no coherent meaning,
and succeed only in boring an audience
when projected on the screen. How often
has the reader been called in to view
the home movie efforts of a well-mean¬
ing neighbor, only to be subjected to a
mass of disconnected and undramatic
scenes? How often has a training or com¬
mercial film fallen flat because it had no
important idea to put across? How
often has a lavish Hollywood photoplay
flopped at the box-office — in spite of ex¬
pensive stars, settings, and technical
talent — merely because the idea behind
the film was not strong enough to hold
audience interest.
“The idea is the thing — ” (to para¬
phrase Shakespeare). If it is lacking in
punch all the good acting, direction and
photography in the world will not be
enough to justify the time the audience
will waste in viewing the resultant film.
The idea should be looked upon as a
sort of bedrock foundation upon which
is built the product of the various arts
and crafts that go into motion picture¬
making. It should be the first thing the
film-maker considers — be he Hollywood
producer or home movie fan — before
he assembles his various elements for the
shooting of the film.
Sources of the Idea
The Hollywood producer is necessarily
restricted in his choise of an idea for a
motion picture. He makes films for the
great mass of the American public,
entertainment films of a fictional nature.
Therefore, he is limited to ideas that
contain elements of (a) general audience
appeal, (b) entertainment value, and
(c) box-office draw. He cannot hope to
please all of the people all of the time,
but he aims to please the largest segment
of his potential audience most of the
time. Since American filmgoers, by and
large, are attracted to the theatre pri¬
marily by star names, the producer
must make sure that any idea he is
considering is adaptable to the talents
of the particular stars he has available.
Not only that, unless the film follows
certain tried and proven ideas (“boy
meets girl,” for instance) it will usu¬
ally not pay off at the box-office. And the
great god Box-Office is what makes the
Hollywood wheels go around.
The Hollywood producer, therefore, is
limited in his choice of ideas. He usually
bases a film on a story, novel or play —
an idea that has already been accepted
in some other form by the public. Occa¬
sionally he will consider a certain back¬
ground or story thread and assign a
writer to develop an original screen¬
play from that idea; but in any case,
he must stay within the bounds of estab¬
lished Hollywood precedent.
The advanced amateur or semi-pro¬
fessional, on the other hand, is not
limited in this way. Rather than being
faced with the task of pleasing a hun¬
dred million filmgoers, he can make pic¬
tures for smaller, more select audiences.
Depending upon the specific audience for
which he slants his film, the sky is the
limit as far as basic idea is concerned.
Naturally, he must first analyze his
audience. He would not make the same
kind of film for the Parent-Teacher
Club as he would for a society of chem¬
ists or a college football team. The basic
idea varies with the character and vis¬
ual requirements of the potential audi¬
ence.
But aside from this consideration, he
is free to let his imagination soar in the
choice of idea and its execution. The
would-be film producer finds about him a
whole world of ready-made cinematic
ideas and suggestions. The life of a farm
horse, the manufacture of steel or cloth,
the way people live in Mexico or in other
parts of his own city — all these and
many more are the ideas that everyday
life offers to the film-maker.
The basic idea need not necessarily be
as tangible as these suggestions; rather,
it may be an emotion or character trait.
Fear, Anger, Jealousy, Courage, Faith —
all these can form the idea basis of an
absorbing film. Similarly, a single physi¬
cal phase of nature can provide the idea
— Fog, Rain, Sunshine, etc.
Often an idea can grow out of a par¬
ticular locale such as Yosemite, Sun
Valley, or the Grand Canyon. When this
is the case, a suitable story theme should
be injected so that the locale becomes a
motivating factor of the action rather
than a mere static background. Charac¬
ters build human interest, and often a
particular character provides an engag¬
ing idea upon which to base a film. The
corner druggist, a circus clown, or a
visiting celebrity are only a few of the
many colorful personalities about whom
an interesting film could be woven.
The inventions of man, the deeds of
average people, the functions of certain
branches of the government, along with
thousands of other ideas are all avail¬
able for interpretation on the screen.
Look about you for ideas; they are
244 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
everywhere, just waiting to be discov¬
ered.
All too often the non-professional
feels that he doesn’t dare turn a camera
unless he has an earth-shaking idea in
mind. He is convinced that nothing short
of a theme like “Gone With the Wind,”
is worthy of his cinematic efforts. This
is far from the truth; in fact he stands
a better chance of achieving a success¬
ful film if he selects an idea that is not
too ambitious. A small idea can become
the basis for a big picture. I do not mean
an unimportant idea, but rather one that
may be compact in scope. “A Day in the
Life of a Dog,” to name an elementary
example, could become a very entertain¬
ing film if it were done with style and
imagination. On the other hand, an
amateur attempt to portray the Civil
War on the screen could hardly fail to
be clumsy and inept. Draw upon sources
around you for ideas before venturing
into fields that are unfamiliar.
Requirements of the Idea
When an idea is being considered as
the basis for a film, there are certain
requirements that it should meet before
being definitely selected:
1. The idea should be worthwhile.
The making of any motion picture is a
large operation, no matter on how mod¬
est a scale it is undertaken. It repre¬
sents a sizable outlay of time, effort,
and expense, all of which would not be
justified if the idea were not worthy of
such attention. The only way to judge
an idea’s worth is to analyze the results
to be achieved in filming it.
2. The idea should either entertain or
inform or, preferably, do both. The film¬
maker must know his prospective audi¬
ence and then ask himself the question:
“Will this film entertain or inform that
audience?” If he can answer in the
affirmative, he is justified in going ahead
to develop his idea into a finished pic¬
ture.
3. The idea should be kinetic. The
motion picture, as the very term implies,
is a medium that depends upon action.
In spite of all the tricks that have been
used by film-makers to force movement
into a static idea, the fact remains that
a satisfactory film cannot be made unless
the idea itself possesses the elements of
action.
4. The idea must be pictorial. That is
to say, it should be capable of being
staged in interesting locales and set¬
tings. The word: interesting does not
imply lavish sets and beautiful land¬
scapes. Rows of wash in a tenement
court may be interesting . Smoke from
the chimneys of a hobo village may be
interesting . The dirt-smeared faces of
sweating laborers may contain elements
of great pictorial interest. If these ele¬
ments are present in the idea, the film
has a head start toward being a success.
5. The idea must be cinematic. Many
fine novels and plays have been written
that would not make good motion pic¬
tures because they are not translatable
into the language of cameras and film.
Similarly, the non-professional film pro¬
ducer will hit upon many ideas that
sound fine until he stops to think of them
in cinematic terms. The motion picture,
in spite of its almost boundless scope,
does have certain limitations, and there
are some abstract ideas that are diffi¬
cult to portray on the screen. The film¬
maker should shy away from these ideas
and confine his efforts to themes that by
their very nature can best be portrayed
through the medium of the screen.
6. The idea should be practical. Here,
again, the average film-maker tends to
approach ideas that are too ambitious
for the production set-up with which he
has to work. If he lives in an inland dis¬
trict he invariably wants to shoot a sea
story. If he is working on a close budget
he usually thinks it would be nice to
have a “cast of thousands.” Actually,
it is very possible to stay within the
limitations of equipment, locale, and
budget — and still turn out a fine motion
picture. Picture-making is an exacting
business at best; the film producer should
not make it more difficult by straining
limited resources to film an idea that is
obviously out of reach of his production
set-up.
Developing the Idea
Before he starts to shoot his story,
even before he writes his script, the film
producer should have the idea fully
developed and analyzed in his own mind.
He should give that idea a good deal
of thought, allowing his imagination to
play with the various facets of the sub¬
ject, letting the idea build up in his mind
until he can see a clear mental picture
of how it will appear on the screen. He
should take notes, jotting down the de¬
tails as they occur to him, later cata¬
loguing and arranging these notes to
help him in production planning.
As we have said earlier, the idea is
the foundation of the film, and the in¬
telligent producer builds his whole pro¬
duction around it. Each technical proc¬
ess, every line of dramatic approach is
keyed to that basic idea, and is dis¬
carded if it does not materially add to
its interpretation. Beware of effects that
lead the film on tangents away from the
main thesis. Unity is the keynote of
smooth continuity on the screen.
As the producer works mentally with
the idea, he will find that it takes on
shape and depth and character until
finally it evolves itself into a theme. A
theme is an idea that has broadened
in scope to the point where it becomes
the underlying motivation of every step
and process in the making of the film.
For instance, let us say that a producer
wants to make a film based on the idea
of “Dust.” The idea in itself is rather
abstract and might be interpreted in a
number of different ways. But as he
thinks deeper into the subject, applying
his imagination to its development, he is
very much impressed with the role that
dust plays in the lives of mid-western
farmers — those men of the soil living in
the so-called “Dust-bowl” area where
fierce dust storms destroy crops and life
and fight the farmer for his very exist¬
ence. After it has been broadened out
in this manner the word “Dust” is no
longer an abstract idea; it has become
a vital motion picture theme, and
might be called: “Dust: Enemy of the
Farmer.”
Actually, the theme as it develops from
the idea becomes the factor that will
determine what treatment the whole
production will receive. It will dominate
the succeeding steps of writing, direct¬
ing, filming and cutting. It’s message
will be indicated in every bit of action
and narration that goes to make up the
film. If the film-maker keeps his central
idea constantly in mind throughout the
various steps of production, his film
will have a directness and unity of
approach that will make for effective
cinema.
We have discussed the element that
is the nucleus of our film — the cinematic
idea. We understand the important part
it plays as the foundation of the film.
We are now ready to go on to the next
step in transforming that idea into a
motion picture: the preparation of the
script.
Next issue: The Script.
Canadian Provinces Install
Central Film Libraries
All of the eastern provinces of Canada
have installed central film libraries and
appointed provincial directors of audio¬
visual aids. This information is disclosed
by Charles R. Crakes, educational con¬
sultant of the DeVry Corporation, who
recently returned from tour of eastern
Canada, who further stated that there
was an intense interest by educational
leaders of the Dominion in providing
audi-visual tools of learning for the rural
areas and small villages of that country.
Photo Agencies Incorporate
Photo Agencies of Southern Africa,
headquartering in Johannesburg, has
been incorporated, with Eric Horvitch
functioning as managing director. Firm,
which has operated for number of years
under management of Horvitch, repre¬
sents leading professional and amateur
motion picture equipment manufacturers
in Union of South Africa, northern and
southern Rhodesia, British Protector¬
ates, Portuguese East Africa and ad¬
joining territories.
Scientific Books Wanted
Our cooperation is asked to present
to professional and amateur cinematog¬
raphers of the United States the request
of American Book Center for War
Devastated Libraries, Library of Con¬
gress, Washington, for donations of
scientific books which will be useful in
research and necessary in the physical,
economic, social, and industrial rehabili¬
tation and reconstruction of Europe and
the Far East. Perhaps some of our nu¬
merous movie enthusiasts may have dis¬
carded volumes of technical phases of
photography and cinematography which
would serve most useful purposes in
zones where libraries were destroyed.
Ship contributions prepaid to ABC, care
of Library of Congress. Collect ship¬
ments cannot be accepted.
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
245
Filming Today Through
Central and South America
By E. H. SCOTT
Author of The Scott Tour Guide to Central and South America
THERE are so many things to say
about filming today in Central and
South America that it is difficult to
know where to start. Perhaps one of
the most important things to know is
how much film you should figure on
taking with you; should you take it all
along, or take part of it and send the
rest of it ahead; or, should you try to
pick it up at photographic stores as
you go along.
My advice is to take all the film you
think you will require along with you,
for you cannot depend on getting it in
any of the Central or South American
countries today. Don’t send a supply
ahead of you, for believe it or not, film
sent by Air Express today, takes not the
day or two that the Air Express ad¬
vertisements would lead you to believe
it will, but anything from a week to a
month. I know, for I had some of my
supply of film — fortunately not a lot of
it — sent ahead and only one single ship¬
ment caught up with me. In addition
to this uncertainty of receiving it, you
will have the certainty of paying duty
on it when you try to get it out of the
customs.
How Much Film Should You Take?
The next question is how much film
you should take. That was a very difficult
question to answer before I left, but an
easy one now since I have seen the
various countries. You will undoubtedly
not want to use as much film as I did,
but the best way to tell you what coun¬
tries are the most interesting and those
in which you will shoot the most film,
is to tell you how much I shot in each
country. You can reduce the total to
a percentage basis and figure out from
this what you should take. I shot 14,000
feet of 16mm. kodachrome film — and
here is the way I used it: Mexico 1500
feet; Guatemala, 1700 feet (and I could
have shot another 500 feet) ; El Salvador
500 feet; Honduras 300 feet; Costa Rica
1200 feet; Panama 600 feet; Colombia
1000 feet; Ecuador 1000 feet; Peru 900
feet (provided you go to Cusco. If you
don’t go to Cusco, 500 feet is enough).
Chile 1800 feet; Argentina 500 feet;
(they don’t like cameras in Argentina
and you will find it very difficult to shoot
much there). Uruguay 1000 feet; Brazil
1200 feet; Barbados 700 feet.
No Trouble With Customs Officials
You will not have the slightest
trouble with Customs Officials in any of
the countries of Central or South Amer¬
ica except Argentine, where you will
have plenty. You will find them all very
courteous and cooperative — just don’t
try to hide anything and you will be
O. K. At least, that was my experience
throughout the whole trip. It is im¬
portant, however, if you are using a
camera of a foreign make, to be sure to
register it with the U.S. Customs before
you leave, for if you don’t, you may have
to pay duty on it when you return. If
your camera is made in the U.S. A. you
don’t need to worry about registering.
Be Sure All Film Is Tropical Packed
Be sure that all the film you take is
tropical packed, especially if you are
going to use it in Panama or Brazil. You
will find that all Kodachrome film is
tropical packed, but I had some Ansco
16mm. with me and discovered too late
it was not tropical packed and the re¬
sults were not too satisfactory. Panama
and Brazil are the two countries where
you must be particularly careful with
your film for they are fairly hot and
humid. Get your film posted back (or if
you have very much send by Air Ex¬
press) just as quickly as possible after
you finish shooting, for it is important to
get color film processed as quickly as
possible after exposure.
Don’t Send Large Quantities Of Film
Back In One Shipment
You might be surprised to know that
if you expose film made in the U. S. A.
in a foreign country and it is going to
be used for “commercial purposes” that
before the U. S. Customs will release it
to be developed, they will make you pay
duty on every foot of it. You will find
that if you send ten or twelve rolls back
in one package, the U. S. Customs will
hold it up and make you prove it is not
going to be used for commercial pur¬
poses before they will release it. So the
thing to do is to send back your film one
or two rolls at a time, then you will have
no trouble.
Use Your Exposure-Meter And Tripod
If you want good pictures, especially
in color, you had better use a light-
meter on every shot. I have taken over
50,000 feet of film and believe it or not,
I still check every shot with not one
light-meter, but two. One a Weston
Universal and the other a G. E. They
are both calibrated and the readings
check perfectly on a test light. If I find
that the two readings don’t jibe, I re¬
check. You probably don’t want to go to
this trouble, but I like to have my color
right and that’s the way I get it. Don’t
shoot anything below Fll, no matter
what the meter says, or you will surely
be underexposed. When in doubt, over¬
expose, rather than under expose. Fi¬
nally, use your tripod on every shot. It’s
a little more trouble to set up, but it is
worth it in the results you get. You will
find if you use a tripod, it will not only
give you a rock steady picture that won’t
run all over the screen when you show
it, but will help you in composition as
well.
How To Get Good Pictures Of Natives
Naturally the Natives of a country
make extremely interesting subjects for
a cinematographer. However, you will
find that if you simply stick your cam¬
era up in front of their faces and start
shooting most of them will resent it
and either turn their heads away or let
you know they don’t care about it.
It is easy to understand this if you
will put yourself in their place. Here’s
the way I got perfect pictures every
time. If I saw a Native coming along
the road or a small group I wished to
shoot, I simply had the guide go over
and explain that I would like to take
some pictures, and give them a few
small coins, and the result was always
smiles, and a readiness to let you shoot.
Then, and then only, did I set up my
tripod and go to work. However, there
are some shots that if the Native knew
his picture were being taken, it would
lose all spontaneity, so on these, use
your two or four inch lens.
There is one thing I want to impress
on you in the strongest possible way:
Be sure and take lots of close-ups after
you take your long and medium shots,
for close-ups make a picture.
Well, I believe I’ve given you most of
the important things you should know
before you leave on your trip. Next
month I will give you an idea of just
what there is in each of the countries of
Central America that will interest a
movie fan.
(Editor’s Note: — Mr. Scott, for many
years an amateur color movie enthusiast,
just returned from a four and a half
month’s photographic trip via plane
around Central and South America —
shooting 14,000 feet of 16mm. color film,
and nearly 1,500 color transparencies.
Shortly after leaving Mexico, he discov¬
ered that information contained in the
travel guide books he had read before
departure was incorrect, so he proceeded
to make detailed notes which eventuated
in compilation of his Tour Guide which
will be published within the next few
months for the benefit of cinema and
travel enthusiasts who plan trips to the
southern countries. It might be men¬
tioned that Mr. Scott was the founder
of Scott Radio Co. and president until
his retirement last fall. Currently, he is
mapping an eight month’s trip to New
Zealand with Mrs. Scott.)
246
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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PROBABLY every movie maker has
a favorite locale which is given
preference over all others in his pic¬
ture taking activities. And this is as it
should be, for it makes little difference
whether that center of filming interest
lies in Times Square, New York, or Jas¬
per Junction, Wyoming, your best
movies come from the place with which
you are most familiar. Aside from the
vicinity in which you live, this may be a
cherished vacation spot, or merely a
source of diversion, where leisure hours
are passed away.
My favorite haven of refuge, and
photographer’s paradise involves a re¬
gion in northern Wisconsin, having as
its axis, Minocqua. It’s small wonder
this little town in the heart of the
Northland has become as a second home
to me. Whether it be the peaceful tran¬
quility of a scheduled trout stream, the
magnificent splendor of a drive through
a virgin forest, or the thundering of
horses hooves on the bridle path my
scenario calls for, the setting is readily
available, or within easy reach of this
photographic wonderland.
Minocqua is unique as a town, in that
the plot of ground it occupies was orig¬
inally an island, although is now acces¬
sible by road and rail, as well as water,
by scenic bridges which connect it with
the mainland on one end, and pictur¬
esque tree-lined “fills” that join it on the
other. Appropriately, Minocqua has been
nicknamed The Island City, a name
which has remained with it to this day.
Beautiful Torpy Park, on the shores
of Lake Kawaguesaga, is the site of
many of the town’s special events, al¬
ways a worthy focal point for the wide¬
awake movie maker. Swimming en¬
thusiasts enjoy to the fullest their cool,
refreshing dips in the unmolested,
crystal clear waters of the lakeland
By JAMES R. OSWALD
region, another source of activity for the
action seeking cameraman.
Normally, Minocqua has a population
in the neighborhood of 1,000, but being
a resort town, swells tremendously dur¬
ing the vacation season. Minocqua’s
modern, up-to-date stores offer the last
word in shopping facilities to “citified”
customers, while its rustic log cabin
resorts reflect the atmosphere of pi¬
oneer days for those who like to “rough
it.” It isn’t at all difficult to understand
why so many motorists traveling U. S.
highway 51, through Minocqua, to
points further north, make it a “must”
to stop over in this little city, and often
vow to spend their entire vacation in
the vicinity the next year. It was in
much the same way that I, myself, first
became acquainted with the potentiali¬
ties of this photogenic gem, though
long before I knew what an emulsion
was, or had heard of the complexities
of a dissolving shutter.
But what has all this to do with your
movie making ? In what way can you,
personally, benefit from the experience
of a fellow filmer?
Well, maybe you’re one of those per¬
sons who has traveled far and wide in
your never ending thirst for adventure.
You wanted to see new places and do
new things. You skipped here and you
skipped there, never stopping long
enough in any one locality to take a
second look. You had your movie camera
with you, of course, but most of your
pictures were taken, literally, with one
foot on the car running board. You
came back from your journey armed
with souvenirs from places you had
been. You bragged about the distance
covered, and the short space of time in¬
volved. You had some good movies to
back you up, too. But, be honest with
yourself. Didn’t you feel there was some¬
thing missing in these pictures? Were
they the kind of movies that demand
repeat performances . . . that the audi¬
ences want to see over and over again?
Or were they of the type that, merely
as a matter of courtesy, give rise to a
few favorable comments, which can be
seen through as clearly as the atmos¬
phere that surrounds them ?
All to often well-meaning, but misin¬
formed, movie makers are inclined to
overlook the very essence of a superb
movie, blinding themselves to the simple
secret readily available to all. They
“can’t see the forest for the trees.” As
a result, golden picture taking oppor¬
tunities are passed by, in favor of a
conglomeration of widely scattered, un¬
related hodge-podge variety of fast-
fleeting sequences.
Take a look at the pictures repro¬
duced along with this article. It is diffi¬
cult to portray on the printed page the
significance such shots as these can have
to a well-rounded screen story. But if
you will get to know your subject matter
from all angles before shooting, visual¬
ize ahead of time the possibilities,
mingle with the people who will be in
lens range, and become acquainted with
their “inner-selves,” and then go out to
shoot what you have learned in such a
way as to make your future audiences
live the picture, then and then only will
you come up with a home movie that
not only tops all previous endeavors,
but one that rivals all the academy
award winners in Hollywood!
Your success as a movie maker, then,
depends not so much upon where you
have been, what you have done, or who
you have met, but rather on your abil¬
ity to sell, on the screen, what you have
seen!
In the serenity of this secluded north woods cabin, and its surroundings,
the author likes to plan future scenarios.
Beautiful Torpy Park, on the shores of Lake Kawaguesaga, is the site of
many of the town's special events — always a worthy focal point for the
wide-awake movie maker.
248 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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WORLD-WIDE DOCUMENTARY FILMS
PAST ^ PRESENT FUTURE
OF the many services utilized for
behind-the-front prosecution of the
war, the documentary film stands
out as a most important factor in the
achievement of ultimate victory. Experi¬
ences of virtually all of the Allied na¬
tions with the documentaries resulted in
generating utmost cooperation of the
home fronts for maximum efforts to pro¬
vide the men on the battle lines with the
necessary supplies and equipment.
But what of the future, and the place
of documentaries in peacetime? There is
no doubt but what the documentary will
take a position equal in importance to
the printed word for informative dissem¬
ination of important subjects of national
concern and interest in all countries of
the world.
Government Control of Documentaries
At this point, it appears that docu¬
mentaries will be encouraged, subsidized,
or produced outright in the various coun¬
tries by the governments themselves.
They will generate political thinking
along the lines of the individual govern¬
ments — which naturally will only spon¬
sor subjects in line with the parties in
power. But more important, if generally
instituted, will be instructional documen¬
taries aimed at various groups within
the country to increase the production
efficiency and way of life of various sec¬
tors of the population. This is especially
true of agriculture, where the United
States, Great Britain, and Canada, for
example, have found instructional docu¬
mentaries to be more informative to
farmers for material increase of the
land’s productivity; better use of me¬
chanical equipment; rotation of crops;
etc.
But wartime experience has demon¬
strated that a specific phase of a subject
can be best covered in a maximum of
four reels. In fact, the documentary or
instructional films have been found to
give maximum results for sustained in¬
terest in about two-reel footage per sub¬
ject, and later can be fully covered vis¬
ually better than 100 pages of instruc¬
tions in printed form.
Wide Opportunities for Cameramen
The post-war expansion of documen¬
tary production by various nations will
provide expanding opportunities for cine¬
matographers, both professional and
advanced amateur. The latter can very
easily swing over to a life job in a field
for which they have enthusiasm. Espe¬
cially in Great Britain and the United
States, many of the men trained in serv¬
ice photographic units will readily find
opportunities in the documentary fields
rather than the present crowded camera
crafts of studio production.
Industry Report
Indications of the extent to which the
documentary films will be utilized in
peacetime are contained in a symposium
bulletin from the offices of the Motion
Picture Producers and Distributors of
America. It states:
Out of the war years — when informa¬
tion was a vital necessity to men in uni¬
form and to the people at home — there
has come a universal interest in the use
of documentary films. Great Britain, the
United States and Russia called in their
best available talent to make documen¬
tary visualizations of the war. Inspired
by the genius of such men as John Ford,
William Wyler, John Huston, and Frank
Capra, came the well-remembered “Bat¬
tle of Midway,” “The Memphis Belle,”
“Fighting Lady,” and that excellent
series, “Why We Fight.”
From Britain, beginning with “Target
For Tonight” and including, among the
most recent, “Western Approaches,”
came a fine succession of factual films
portraying the beleaguered home front
and the fighting abroad. Millions of feet
of film were shot to make these docu¬
mentaries. Some were edited into feature
pictures (“The Way Ahead,” “The True
Glory,” and others); some were brief
messages flashed on the screen to teach
the armed forces and civilians the surest
way of survival. Today, the equally ur¬
gent need is to teach people to get along
with each other. How shall it be done ?
Where the emphasis?
Comments by Disney and Grierson
Walt Disney, asked to say what part
motion pictures can play in the postwar
program, replied: “It is easier to create
experts than to make good human beings.
I believe the main concern should be to
emphasize the well-integrated life.” And
from John Grierson, former Film Com¬
missioner for Canada: “The ends men
seek are identical and simple and con¬
crete, whether they come black, white or
yellow. They are concerned with food,
health and housing and the other highly
visible evidences of the good life. I have
no doubt that when these are fought for
and secured, the invisible aspects of the
good life — whatever these may be — will
come to inhabit the edifice we have built.
In the meantime, it is in the fulfillment
of actual and visible needs that we shall
find the basis of a common philosophy
and the only one in which the peoples of
the world will any longer trust. In this
progressive struggle for welfare which
is actual, we all need the example of
other countries, the example of other
peoples’ genius, other peoples’ ingenuity
and good fortune.”
Canada’s “World In Action” Series
Canada’s contribution to international
good-will through films produced under
the supervision of Grierson was a series
designed not only to win friends for that
country by acquainting the world with
Canada’s way of life, but, at the same
time, “without any Pharisaical self-con¬
gratulation to indicate the fundamental
tenets of democracy which might be used
in building up progressive groups in
every country.” Such titles as “War For
Men’s Minds,” “Labor Front,” “Global
Air Routes,” “Inside France,” “When
Asia Speaks,” and “Now the Peace,” give
some idea of what wa~ set forth in this
excellent series which is still showing in
theatres all over the world.
English Documentaries Important
As developed in England, the docu¬
mentary film was a great factor in weld¬
ing the people into a solid unit during
the war, due largely to the fact that the
technique had been mastered earlier,
under Grierson, Paul Rotha and others.
We, in this country, who are proud of
our picture-making skills, have much to
learn from them in the art of producing
the film that teaches by means of simple,
realistic, human-interest stories. One of
their recent releases, “Children of the
City,” found great favor in the United
States, especially among socially-minded
groups.
USA OWI-Overseas Activities
Taking a leaf out of these studies, our
OWI-Overseas Division, under the direc¬
tion of Robert Riskin, prepared a series
of American films for showing in the
formerly occupied countries of Europe.
Among them were “The Story of the
Jeep,” setting forth our industrial “know¬
how”; “Colorado City,” depicting the
way one city has made its plans for re¬
conversion; “Washington, D. C.”; and
“Tuesday, November Second,” which de¬
scribes our electoral system. Few people
have been privileged to see these pic¬
tures in this country, but it is hoped that
they will be given non-theatrical show¬
ings at some later date.
UNRRA Collecting Films
UNRRA is gathering from far and
wide a collection of films that will fur¬
ther its work. The British Ministry of
Information film division has supplied a
“Report” picturing the supply and dis¬
tribution of relief to displaced persons;
also, “Star and Sand,” a film dealing
with the Yugoslav camp set up in Egypt.
Canada is filming a picture in Greece,
titled “Out of the Ruins”; an Italian
company is making a film portraying
what UNRRA is doing in that country;
and the U. S. Army is making a two-
reel subject, “The Last Battle,” which
will probably be released in our theatres
as well. In China, Russia, South America
and other countries, there are plans
under way for similar contributions.
Documentaries Aimed For Adult
Education
The documentary as distinct from the
classroom film may be considered as a
tool for adult education. From China
comes word that mobile units are being
developed at Nanking University to carry
films far back into the provinces of
Changtu and Chungkind — a difficult un¬
dertaking, where roads are often almost
250 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
impassable. The barrier of language is a
problem, but one of these days we hope
for an exchange and the opportunity of
seeing such Chinese-made documentaries
as “China’s Pattern of Peace,” and “The
Voice of China,” with English commen¬
taries. There are ambitious plans for the
establishment of what are interestingly
called “Halls of Dynamic Learning” in
five of China’s forward-looking universi¬
ties, where both 16 mm. and 35 mm. pro¬
jectors will be available. “Visual aids are
the best means of communication and
unification,” says one of their leading
educators. “We need them — and quickly.”
Plans for the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the Dutch govern¬
ment has set up a program under the
direction of Mr. Joris Ivens to bring edu¬
cation to the Indonesian people through
films. Now chiefly composed of pictures
obtainable from other countries — trave¬
logues, human interest, and war-report¬
ing films demonstrating the victory of
the democratic forces of the United Na¬
tions, it is the hope of Ivens and his
staff that they may soon be producing
native-language films and that, one of
these days, they may be exporting spe¬
cial subjects giving to the rest of the
world some idea of the customs, the
work, the art, and the laughter of the
peoples of that Pacific empire.
“The Wheels Turn Again” is the poig¬
nant and significant title of the first
documentary to come from France, point¬
ing to the terrific devastation of its in¬
dustry and the problems to be faced in
again putting its wheels in motion. In
the series that is planned for theatrical
and non-theatrical showing, with English
and French titles, we are doubtless wit¬
nessing the re-birth of France’s unique
cinema art.
Informative Entertainment Series
What of the documentary in our own
country? With the disappearance of the
factual and semi-factual war reporting
films, what may we expect to follow?
Two important series come instantly to
mind. First, “The March of Time”; and
second the series titled “This Is Amer¬
ica.” Both are released as entertainment
subjects in the regular theatres.
Documentary Technique in Features
The influence of the documentary tech¬
nique is to be seen invading the pattern
of our theatrical feature films. “The
House on 92nd Street” was an excellent
example. M-G-M’s treatment of William
L. White’s factual report of our igno¬
minious retreat from Bataan and Corre-
gidor, “They Were Expendable,” is defi¬
nitely in that category. Without heroics
or glamour, yet on a magnificent scale,
it depicts the story of the crew of a little
PT boat who sacrificed their lives to
what seemed — at the time — to be a lost
cause.
Col. William Wyler’s first peacetime
assignment, “Glory For Me,” which he
will direct for Samuel Goldwyn, is some¬
what more fictional, yet it has its roots
in real life. Dore Schary’s picture, “They
Dream of Home,” is an honest effort to
bring to audiences a realization of to-
day’s adjustments.
When documentaries are produced (as
it is proven they can be) so that they
grip the emotions as well as inform and
teach, they will undoubtedly find their
way in increasing numbers into the regu¬
lar theatres where they may touch the
minds and hearts of millions to be
reached nowhere else, and so contribute
in large measure to our shining dream
of one world and an era of lasting peace.
New Film Studio for Egypt
A new motion picture studio is being
built in Cairo, Egypt, by Salomon Sa-
lama. According to information provided
by the latter, it will be the most modern
studio in the entire Near East, having
three stages and being equipped with
the latest apparatus developed by Ameri¬
can manufacturers. ■
Equipment, purchased through inter¬
mediary of Teca Corporation of New
York, includes a Mitchell BNC camera,
Blue Seal sound recording systems, back¬
ground projector, Mole-Richardson lights,
Houston automatic developing machines
and printers, Moviola viewing machines,
etc.
Salama recently spent some time in
the United States selecting the latest
equipment and observing production
techniques. He intends to employ Ameri¬
can-trained production technicians and
personnel where possible in the Cairo
studio.
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American Cinematographer • July, 1946
251
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Amateur Movie Society,
Milwaukee
Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee
is one of the several progressive clubs
which meets twice monthly. June 12th
session had film program presented by
Kenosha Movie Makers Club, and in¬
cluded the following subjects: “Swedish
Smorgasbord and Folk Dances,” “This Is
America,” “Sand in Our Shoes,” and two
series of slides. At the June 26th meet¬
ing, illustrated lecture on Ansco color
film and how to use it was presented,
along with a rousing gadget night
auction.
In current bulletin of the club, an¬
nouncement of the 1946 annual contest
for members is made for both 8 mm. and
16 mm. entries. Closing dates and judg¬
ing of both classes are set for mid-No¬
vember, and handsome trophies will be
presented to winners in each group.
Winners in the recent club novice re¬
sulted as follows: For 8 mm., first,
“Easter Show,” by Earl J. Peychal; sec¬
ond, “V-Garden,” by Martha Rosche;
third, “Great Names in History,” by W.
Vogel. In the 16 mm. division, Selma
Preuss won first prize with “Autumn
Glow;” second was Ray J. Fahrenberg’s
“Wisconsin From the Air,” and Walter
Chapelle took third place with “Ice
Bound Niagara.”
Kenosha Movie Club will act as host
to members of the club at annual picnic
to be held at Petrifying Springs Park,
Kenosha, during the summer.
Los Angeles Cinema Club
Maintaining the usual high standard of
its programs, June meeting of the Los
Angeles Cinema Club presented produc¬
tions in both 16 mm. film and 35 mm.
color slides. Latter portion of the pro¬
gram was through courtesy of Pictorial-
ist, and proved decidedly interesting to
the members present.
Lt. Gae Faillace, LACC member for
many years, was guest speaker of the
evening. Official photographer with Gen¬
eral McArthur in the Pacific campaign,
he detailed some of his most interesting
experiences of the past four years, and
concluded with showing of some of his
interesting 16 mm. pictures. “Our Amaz¬
ing Northwest,” a 16 mm. two reeler,
was presented by C. Oscar Perrine.
Tri-City Cinema Club
Joint meeting of the Tri-City Cinema
Club, Blackhawk Camera Club, Rock
Island Camera Club, and Moline Photo¬
graphic Society was held at Moline on
the evening of May 23rd to a large audi¬
ence. Solon exhibition of prize winning
pictures of the past year, and outstand¬
ing colored slides, were presented by the
three camera clubs. Film program ar¬
ranged by Tri-City included: “Silver
Skates,” by Tom Griberg and “Arizona
and Mesa Verde,” by Dr. H. H. Parsons.
Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club
Charles Benjamin was elected presi¬
dent of Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club for
the ensuing year, with other officers
comprising: Herbert Erles, vice presi¬
dent; Albert Groman, treasurer; Eugene
E. Adams, secretary; and Irving Gittell,
Francis Sinclaire and Horace Guthman,
directors.
June 5th meeting held at the Hotel
Bossert was the annual get-together ses¬
sion, with Ed Preisel preparing a pro¬
gram which comprised showing of a film
for general criticism and comment from
the entire club after the running. Preisel
then pointed out errors overlooked by
the audience, and again projected the
film to allow members to observe the
faults and errors discussed. Annual din¬
ner party, shelved during the war years,
was resumed on the evening of June 19th
at the Village Barn in Greenwich Village.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Color film displaying the beauties of
Yellowstone National Park highlighted
the June 19th meeting of Utah Cine Arts
Club at Salt Lake City. Latest of the
technical series discussions featured at
each meeting dwelt on demonstration of
several makes of movie cameras and
various accessories. This portion of the
program has caught on with members,
who are enabled to get a comparison of
various brands of equipment to enable
them to make more careful selection of
models required for individual require¬
ments.
Officers are preparing plans for a big
outdoor show and annual club picnic in
Mill Creek Canyon, to be staged within
the next month.
Los Angeles Eight
June 11th meeting of Los Angeles 8
mm. Club was held at Arden Farms
Clubhouse, and presented film program
■which included: “Grand Canyon,” by Max
Rapp, and “Aztec,” by Mr. Ibsen. Sylvia
Fairley won the first prize roll of koda-
chrome in the May 50 foot contest with
“There Ain’t No Justice.” “Swim Meet,”
by Fred Evans, tabbed the second prize
roll of film, while Lewis Reed slipped
into third spot with “Bringing Down
Father.”
Cinema Club, San Francisco
June session of Cinema Club of San
Francisco was held on the 18th at the
Women’s City Club with Larry Duggan
arranging film program for the evening,
which included: “Yosemite Seasons,” (16
mm. kodachrome) by Mrs. Margaret
Bogman; “Hitting the High Spots,” (8
mm. kodachrome and black-and-white) by
Duggan; “Sandra,” (16 mm. koda¬
chrome) by E. L. Sargeant; and “Peo¬
nies,” color film roundup which several
members shot at the recent club outing
at Hayward.
Metropolitan Club
Annual meeting of Metropolitan Mo¬
tion Picture Club of New York City was
held on the evening of June 20th at the
Pennsylvania Hotel, when members voted
for four directors to serve three year
terms. At the same meeting, screenings
of films entered in the Novice Contest
were held, with members voting for the
winners of three cash awards offered by
member Harry Groedel.
Current announcement discloses two
club contests for 1946-47, providing mem¬
bers with opportunity for planning
movie-making during the summer vaca¬
tion period. Novices’ contest, for mem¬
bers not classed as advanced filmers, will
have three cash prizes again donated by
Harry Groedel. Entries will close on Jan¬
uary 31, 1947, with judging by entire
membership at the February, 1947, meet¬
ing. Only one entry per member is per¬
mitted, with maximum length of 16 mm.
to be 800 feet, and 400 feet for eight
mm. General contest, open to all mem¬
bers in good standing for submission of
one subject each, has no limit on footage
in either size film. Entries will close on
November 1, 1946, with special com¬
mittee of seven judges to view the en¬
tries and select the winners.
Philadelphia Cinema Club
James Maucher presented an illus¬
trated lecture on “Making Professional
Appearing Titles” at the June 11th meet¬
ing of Philadelphia Cinema Club, which
was held in the Witherspoon Building.
Sound film, “Historic Philadelphia,”
with narration by Lowell Thomas, was
also on the program and gave members
an idea of what to film around the city
for interesting subjects. President Fran¬
cis Hirst projected his “Perils of Paul”
and “In the Heart of the Rockies.”
On July 14th, club members will jour¬
ney to the summer home of Dr. Robert
Haentze on the latter’s invitation, for an¬
other great outing at the location.
Seattle Amateur Movie Club
Seattle Amateur Movie Club held reg¬
ular monthly meeting on June 11th in
Parish Hall of the Church of the Epiph¬
any, with large portion of the meeting
devoted to discussion of outstanding fea¬
tures of various types and makes of
camei'as and other equipment. Film pro¬
gram included showing of “Meshes of
the Afternoon,” from library of Amateur
Cinema League.
Amateur M.P. Club of
St. Louis
May meeting of Amateur M. P. Club of
St. Louis was highlighted by showing of
“Museum of Memories,” 300 feet of 8
mm. kodachrome which was entered in
the club’s annual contest and adjudged
best of entries.
252
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
You
can look forward to
magnificent movies
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movie-making accessories are on their way back
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Kodachrome), can be equipped with telephotos, makes
slow-motion movies, too. CINE-KODAK MAGAZINE 16
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venience. SOUND KODASCOPE FS-10-N — reasonably
priced sound and silent 16mm. projector of excep¬
tional tonal qualities.
Quantities still small in comparison with demand.
Keep in touch with your Kodak dealer.
The Kodak movie accessory picture, in many depart¬
ments, is reassuringly bright. Lenses, filters, car¬
rying cases, film reels and cans — many are on
your dealer's shelves today, others are on the way, and
by year's end you should be able to obtain just about
every Kodak movie accessory supplied prewar . . . with
many offering marked functional advances. Keep in
touch with your Kodak dealer.
-and how about
Cine-Kodak Film
deliveries?
Trouble with film, of course, is that civilian film produc¬
tion started from scratch a few months ago. Kodak had
none . . . dealers had none . . . you had none. To supply
all dealers with all film types for all customers adds up
to a tremendous total — which Kodak is doing its level
best to provide — and in the face of difficult manufactur¬
ing, shipping, and distribution problems . . . Eastman
Kodak Company, Rochester 4, N. Y.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR KODAK DEALER
The New Norwood Exposure Meter
By RALPH A. WOOLSEY and CHARLES H. COLES
(Photo Research Corporation)
Fig. I. Closeup balanced and exposed according to technique described
article.
WHEN the Norwood Director
meter was first introduced to the
studio cameramen in Hollywood
a few years ago, its radically new design
elicited some raised eyebrows and skepti¬
cal comments. However, the continued
success of its users in achieving accurate
exposure control has stimulated a wider
and wider use of the meter until now it
may be found in studios all over the
world.
Constructed of an improved translu¬
cent material, the patented hemispherical
light-collector is now known as the
“Photosphere.” The designers of the
meter have greatly increased its scope
of usefulness by making the Photosphere
interchangeable with two accessory light-
collectors, so that the instrument now
performs the multiple functions of an
incident-light exposure meter, a light-
intensity (foot-candle) meter, and a
brightness-range meter.
Still the heart of the Norwood Direc¬
tor, the Photosphere simulates the cam¬
era side of any three-dimensional sub¬
ject. In use, therefore, it is simply held
near the subject and pointed directly
at the camera. In this position it inte¬
grates all the useful photographic illu¬
mination irrespective of the angle at
which it strikes the subject. If it hap¬
pens that the indicating pointer is not
conveniently in view, the meter body
may be rotated around the pivot con¬
necting it to the Photosphere base until
the dial faces the observer. This feature
is a convenience that cameramen have
greatly appreciated. Among its advan¬
tages they have discovered are the elim¬
ination of interference from shadows
cast by the user and the ease of making
readings in close quarters.
The Director shows its supremacy
when working under lighting conditions
considered unusual or difficult for other
methods of exposure determination. En¬
tirely lacking is the uncertainty exper¬
ienced with the varying indications of
most meters as they are tilted slightly
one way or the other. Owing to its
unique design, the Director has elimin¬
ated this critical directional sensitivity.
The pointer holds its position without
fluctuation even when side on backlight¬
ing is encountered since no special pre¬
cautions are necessary to assure accurate
reading. The Photosphere integrates
light from any direction with equal ef¬
fectiveness.
It is in color photography that the
Norwood Director displays its accuracy
and consistency to the greatest extent.
It measures, integrates and evaluates
incident light so that the flesh tones of
a subject will always appear natural as
long as the light has the proper color-
temperature. Because these tones are the
most critical, their accurate reproduction
will assue fidelity in all other colors in
the picture. Even though the background
is light or dark, flesh tones will always
appear correct.
In addition to determining the over¬
all exposure, the new Director measures
other important photographic factors by
means of interchanging the photosphere
with special light-collectors. Lighting
contrast control is facilitated by the use
of the “Photodisk” which provides illu¬
mination measurement over a range of
0-10,000 foot-candles, assuring a quick,
accurate means for measuring the in¬
tensity of key or other light-sources.
A reflected-light attachment, the “Pho¬
togrid,” is used with the Norwood Direc¬
tor for brightness measurements or
brightness range control. The Photo¬
grid may also be used if it is possible
to read the incident light for exposure
determination.
Two models of the Director are now
in use. The Cine model, designed for
motion picture photography, is calibrated
directly in f-stops from f/1.4 to f/22
for a constant shutter speed. Adjustment
for various emulsion speeds is provided
by interchangeable perforated metal
slides which are inserted behind the light-
collector to control the light reaching the
photoelectric cell. A computer allows use
of the meter for still photography by
facilitating the selection of shutter and
254
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
'7'lotv rfvaita&Ce 'Immediate 'DeUowuff
A Limited Number of
35MM SOUND CAMERAS
i *
COMPLETE WITH AMPLIFIERS AND POWER SUPPLIES -
READY TO RECORD SOUND
- \
PRICES
I Wall Camera — Single System Sound
CAMERA — Complete . $5,490.00
I Camera Case— Carrying
I Camera Accessory Carrying Case — consisting of I
matte bo*
1 Magazine belt tightener
2 Collapsible film spools
4 Bakelite film centers
I 1000' and I 400’ magazine loading hooks
I Filter holder container with 9 double and 3 single
filter holders
I Oil can
I Pair pliers
I Screwdriver
I Bottle of camera lubricating oil — good for 80 below
zero
3 Camera belts — small, medium, large
I Camera portable power pack shoulder carrying strap
with 6 non-spillable storage batteries and 3 4-volt,
2 6-volt, I 12-volt outlets
SET OF LENSES— Complete . $1,420.00
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 50 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Balter 75 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 100 mm f 2.3 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 152 mm f 2.7 coated lens
I Bausch & Lomb Baltar 35 mm f 2.3 coated lens
SOUND SYSTEM— Complete . $1,853.00
I Modulite Galvanometer
I Amplifier
1 Amplifier Carrying Case
2 Amplifier Accessory Carrying Cases
2 Camera power cables
2 50' microphone extension cables
2 Galvanometer Cables
2 Amplifier Power Cables
2 Sets of Earphones
4 Exciter Lamps
2 Microphones with cable, gooseneck and baffle
2 Microphone tripods
I Vibrator Pack with 6 non-spillable storage batteries
TRIPOD— Complete . $600.00
I Tripod (pan) handle
I Crank handle
I Baby tripod with carrying case and Hi-Hat
I Tripod with freehead and boot and saddle
I Triangle
I — Magazine carrying case with 2 1000'
Compact — light in weight — easy to handle —
incredibly precise — the WALL 35MM Sound
Camera meets the most exacting requirements
of the professional photographer. Comes com-
magazines .
I — Magazine carrying case with 4 400'
magazines .
$263.00
$364.00
plete with tripod. ACT PROMPTLY to get one
of these outstanding Sound Cameras. The num-
TOTAL PRICE
$9,990.00
her now available is limited and will go quickly.
WIRC — PHONC — OR WRITE AIR MAIL TO
ST. GEORGE RECORDING EQUIPMENT CORP.
76 Varick St. New York 1 3, N. Y.
American Cinematographer • July, 1946 255
Fig. 2. Measuring key light intensity with
Photodisk pointed at source.
iris combinations other than those indi¬
cated directly on the dial and also con¬
verts f-stop readings into foot-candles'.
The Universal model, for both still and
motion picture photography, is calibrated
in light-values. Exposure calculations
are made with a computer which indi¬
cates iris and shutter settings through
a wide range for any emulsion speed.
Two ranges of light-levels may be meas¬
ured. The change from the low level to
the high is accomplished by insertion of
a multiplying slide behind the light-
collector.
Using the Meter
While illumination balance is deter¬
mined by the individual cameraman’s
artistic requirements, it is nevertheless
possible for him to control this balance
more consistently and accurately than
before with the new Norwood Director.
With this meter, for example, an initial
light-level may be established on a set
at the principal subject which then be¬
comes a reference brightness against
which the rest of the set may be bal¬
anced visually.
The following is an illustration of one
method for lighting to a contrast ratio
of 4 to 1, using the Director Universal
model meter. Plus-X film exposed in the
studio at 1/50 second at approximately
f/2 is selected for purposes of discussion.
1. Set computer for Weston film speed
of 40, assuming this is correct for the
laboratory. Moving f/2 opposite 1/50 sec¬
ond on computer will show that a light-
value of 100 will be required for normal
exposure.
2. Hold meter with Photosphere at
point of principal interest in scene and
point Photosphere at camera.
3. Adjust key light until meter indi¬
cates slightly less than 100.
4. Replace Photosphere with Photo-
Fig. 3. Adjusting shadow illumination to de¬
sired contrast balance with key, using Photo¬
disk pointed at fill light.
disk and point directly at key light, not¬
ing intensity. With disk in place, light
values on scale become foot-candles.
5. Switch on fill light and point Photo¬
disk at it. Adjust intensity of fill until
!4 of key light. Principal subject is now
lighted with correct balance. Kicker or
backlight will not alter this key-to-shad-
ow ratio appreciably.
6. Using brightness of principal sub¬
ject as a reference, balance rest of set
to it visually. If desired, meter may be
used for checking lighting balance of
set at various points in background.
7. If unusually light or dark areas
appear in set, their brightness in candles
per square foot may be measured using
Photogrid on meter and pointing it at
close range at these areas. Reference to
computer will show whether they are too
light or too dark to fall within film
range. If outside permissible limits, light¬
ing adjustments may be made to correct
situation.
8. Return to principal subject position
and point meter with Photosphere in
place at camera. Meter will now give
exact lens aperture to be used, which
will be very close to f/2 originally
decided on.
When using the Norwood Director out¬
doors, the method is essentially the same.
Since the key light is usually the sun,
its intensity in foot-candles is measured
first with the Photodisk in place. From
this value is computed the illumination
needed in the shadows to obtain the de¬
sired balance. Reflectors or booster lights
may then be adjusted until the shadow
reading is brought to the computed level.
Finally the Photodisk is replaced by the
Photosphere which is then pointed at the
camera from the subject position and the
correct exposure read.
Lighting setups may be duplicated at
Fig. 4, Determining exact exposure with
Photosphere pointed at camera.
a later date simply by keeping a record
of the intensities or balance of the lights
used for a particular scene. Key and
other light sources may be switched on
one at a time and their respective inten¬
sities measured with the Photodisk in
place on the meter.
With the three interchangeable light-
collectors, the Norwood Director becomes
a truly universal instrument designed to
solve and exposure problem. Its logical
and direct means for exposure determin¬
ation through the measurement of inci¬
dent light results in highly accurate
readings under all conditions. The meter
is easy for the cameraman to use and
requires a minimum of study.
It should be emphasized that the ex¬
posure meter is only a tool used by the
cinematographer in establishing lighting
condition under which he chooses to
work. Once this is done the instrument
has fulfilled its purpose. The new Direc¬
tor provides a means for controlling
these conditions more quickly, allowing
the cameraman more time for concentra¬
tion on his artistic efforts.
Gordon Mitchell Heads New
Industrial Film Concern
Gordon S. Mitchell, former manager
of the Research Council of the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is
president of All-Scope Pictures, Inc., re¬
cently incorporated to produce educa¬
tional and industrial films.
Production personnel for the organiza¬
tion will consist mainly of ex-service men
who had wide experience in production of
Army and Navy training films, including
Fred Mandl, A.S.C., who was a Signal
Corps cinematographer with M/sgt. rat¬
ing during the war.
256 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
ySTOH
duct'00
outran
HOUSTON TAKES PRIDE
suPP»ying film proc
G55in9 machin
rr>Qior * . 'nes 'o
°f,°P P/r»..
(] HOUSTON Model 11, 16mm
Portable Unit. Stainless steel used
throughout. Daylight processing . . .
does not require a darkroom. Fully
automatic processing for negative,
positive and reversal film. Precision
performance at 20 feet per minute.
Standard equipment may be modified
to meet any special requirement.
HOUSTON Model 10, 35mm £>
Combination negative and posi¬
tive installation. Operates under
complete control at all speeds for
highest quality processing up to
2400 feet per hour. Fully auto¬
matic for every step, completely
self-contained.
Houston
LARGEST PRODUCERS OF
•inters. Camera Dollies and Cranes
Both models have Thermostatic
Temperature Control by refrigera¬
tion and heating.
Write for descriptive folder
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 W. OLYMPIC BLVD. • WEST LOS ANGELES 25, CALIF.
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
257
CINEMATOGRAPHY IN THE WAR
Instructing
U. S. Signal Corps
Photographic
Companies
with
Major Art Lloyd,
A. S. C.
©
IN the early months of the entry of
the United States into the war, vari¬
ous branches of service naturally
competed in securing the enlistments of
experienced motion picture photogra¬
phers from Hollywood. But it was only a
short time before that source of supply
dried up, and — with the Army Signal
Corps planning expanded war zone activ¬
ities for still and motion picture photo¬
graphers — it was necessary that special
photographic companies be thoroughly
instructed and trained for eventual as¬
signments.
Major Art Lloyd, A.S.C., was one of
the Signal Corps officers assigned to han¬
dle such elemental and advanced training
in cinematography. Commissioned with
rank of Captain in April, 1942, he was
assigned to the Signal Corps Photo¬
graphic Center at Astoria ; and from
there immediately got roving assign¬
ments to head photographic units which
covered the Japanese evacuation from
Pacific coast areas to relocation centers;
tank training and maneuvers of the Third
Armoured Division on the California
deserts; barrage balloon training films at
Camp Tyson, Tennessee; instruction reels
on operation of the long-tom gun; and
films depicting operation and perform¬
ance of the Duwk, the sea-going-truck.
After such intensive and extensive pho¬
tographing activities, Lloyd was called
on to head one of the many training-
units which were set up to provide in¬
struction to the Signal Corps photo com¬
panies which had to be established to
secure the necessary manpower for the
proposed photographic units which were
eventually to be assigned to each Army
that would hit the beachheads of France
for the invasion and conquest of Ger¬
many. With a wide background of cine¬
matographic experience in the Hollywood
studios, Lloyd nevertheless was required
to take a brief course on Army proced¬
ure in teaching of both officers and en¬
listed men.
Initial Instruction Course
First assignment of Captain Lloyd
and his staff was to train the 166th
Signal Photographic Company stationed
at Camp Crowder, Mo. This covered a
span of nine months; and later with the
same outfit to Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
At the latter point, two units of the
197th Signal Photo company were in¬
structed while on winter maneuvers.
The Signal Corps, in setting up about
15 Photographic Companies, had each of
the latter comprising about 165 officers
and men; with laboratory units, camera
repair units, supply men, drivers in
motor pools, and identification units. It
was found that many in these companies
had previous 16 mm. or still photography
experience, which proved a great asset.
If any were found in such companies
with sufficient actual px-oduction exper¬
ience in Hollywood, they were culled out
and shipped overseas immediately.
As it was necessary to instruct the
companies in both Army procedure and
photography of both motion picture and
still classifications, the photo instx-uction
had to be dovetailed in between Army
258
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Trainees learned how to edit their own film shot during instruction courses. Motion picture camera crews of Signal Corps Photo Company 166, who
received cinema instruction from Major Lloyd.
training. All teaching was in actual pro¬
duction technique as practised in the stu¬
dios and in the newsreel fields. Photo
training was materially expedited in the
field where the various units were sta¬
tioned for training.
Phases Covered
Instruction course, as uniformly estab¬
lished by the Signal Corps, started at the
basic fundamentals — how to handle the
tripod; thread camera; proper exposures,
and continuity of action. Latter was most
necessary, as most of the men would be
on their own in the field and could not
wait for advise or instructions from
headquarters on what to shoot during
battle action.
Orientation in photography; basic
motion picture and story coverage; no¬
menclature of cameras, lenses; film load¬
ing; purpose of long shots, medium and
closeups — and when best to use each —
were early subjects in the photo training.
Then instruction swung into phases of
film types and filters — with meter speeds
of each; slates and captions; panning
and tilting; care of cameras and films
New standards in correction and defining power have
been set by Baltar. This superb series of specialized
lenses for professional 35mm motion picture work is
acclaimed by those who have found in it superior
“image quality on the screen.’’ Balcote anti-reflection
coated. Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., 596 Smith St.,
Rochester 2, N. Y.
Baltars are available through manufac¬
turers of professional camera equipment.
BAUSCH & LOMB
ESTABLISHED 1853
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
259
Photo by Arthur C. Allen, for C amp Leelanau
make SufiO of better pictures
to keep vacation memories. Get
the new, improved G-E exposure
meter to guide your camera. Sharply
directional — sees what your camera
sees. Amazingly accurate. Lighter.
Sturdier. And now with the easier-
to-read dial that makes the new
ASA index numbers easy to use. A
wonderful gift. See the new G-E
meter at photo dealers . . . it’s 3
meters in one! General Electric Co.,
Schenectady 5, N. Y.
new, improved
Gm EXPOSURE
"E METER
Type DW-58
$26«
Federal
tax
included
in both the Arctic and tropics; balance
and frame; film editing and cutting. Han¬
dling and operation of the Mitchell, Bell
& Howell, Wall, Akeley and the various
16 mm. cameras were thoroughly ex¬
plored for the training.
Before finishing the training and get¬
ting passing marks, each trainee had to
shoot and submit a minimum of five
shots — long, medium, closeup, insert, and
re-establishing shot — all on his own with¬
out assistance.
One important phase was the proper
manner to hold an Eyemo camera by
hand to give a steady picture. As taught,
this provided for holding the handle
with the right hand — with the left hand
having a full and firm hold on the bottom
front below the lens. All weight must
fall on the left hand, with the right bal¬
ancing for steadiness. Work of the
trainees during the course was processed
and gone over to point out to individuals
their mistakes in setups, composition or
shooting. Those failing to pass the course
— which proved to be a relatively small
percentage of the whole — were trans¬
ferred to other branches of Army service.
The Signal Corps instructed in excess
of 3,500 men in cinematography through
the photo company instructional system,
and the students worked with both 16
and 35 mm. equipment and film, together
with obtaining thorough techniques of
the two sizes of film.
The completed instructional course as
mapped by the Signal Corps covered a
total of 17 weeks.
Export of Lighting Equipment
Grows
Foreign motion picture films, particu¬
larly in India, are placing huge orders
for photographic lighting equipment, ac¬
cording to Bardwell & McAlister, Inc.,
Hollywood manufacturers of the famous
B & M Spots and other photographic
equipment. Large shipments are also
being made to Egypt, Sweden and Pana¬
ma. The huge demand for these prod¬
ucts from India is due to the fact that
India has the largest motion picture in¬
dustry in the world, with the exception
of the United States. According to Mr.
Ambalal J. Patel, the East Indian rep¬
resentative of Bardwell & McAlister,
who is also a leading motion picture
magnate, they produce in excess of 200
feature films per year.
La Casa, Alhambra
Ninth anniversary program of La Casa
Movie Club of Alhambra, California, was
held in the YMCA Building on the eve¬
ning of June 17th, with D. W. Gardner
as chairman. Film program comprised
short reels of various subjects shot by
members. Those providing 50 foot sub¬
jects in 8 mm. included: R. B. Vail, H. S.
Wallace, D. A. Powell, A. J. Zeman and
O. C. Jessen. Subjects comprising 100
feet of 16 mm. were credited to: Frank
Knaus, C. L. Ritter, L. W. Lantz, Mrs.
Marjorie Conrad, J. H. Clay, Mrs. R.
Gillmann, Miss Monda Taylor, Guy Nelli
and H. P. Carnahan.
FOR LIGHT ON EASTERN PRODUCTION --
C. ROSS
For Lighting Equipment
As sole distributors East of the Mississippi we carry the full and
complete line of latest-type Inkie and H.I.-Arc equipment
manufactured by
MOLE-RICHARDSON, Inc.
Hollywood - California
Your requirements for interior or exterior locations taken care
of to the last minute detail anywhere
☆
MOTOR GENERATOR TRUCKS
RENTALS SALES SERVICE
☆
CHARLES ROSS, Inc.
333 West 52nd St., New York, N. Y. Phones: Circle 6-5470-1
260 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Victor Cameras and
Projectors Reported Stolen
Cameras as well as projectors appear
on the list of Victor equipment reported
stolen recently. One loser is a former
army man who reports the theft of a
Victor model 5, serial number 15823 with
F 2.9 and F 1.5 lenses.
While this camera was taken at the
time the owner was stationed in Bremen,
Germany, it may turn up in this country.
If found, please notify Mr. G. D. Gillis,
Hotel Holland, 351-359 West 42nd St.,
New York 18, N. Y.
Another camera, Victor Model 3, serial
number 5313, with extra filters and tele¬
photo lens, was taken from a car parked
at Pico (navy) Landing, Long Beach,
Calif. Notify Kenneth C. Wagner, 315
West 4th St., Davenport, Iowa.
USO Club Loses Victor
A Model 40B Animatophone, serial
93230 was stolen from USO Club, Neo¬
sho, Mo., between April 9th and 12th.
Please notify Mr. E. A. Moyer.
Edward Doyle, National Director, Hos¬
pital Motion Picture Service, National
Headquarters, the American Red Cross,
Washington 13, D. C., reports that their
16mm. Projector No. 99270 has been
stolen from Nichols General Hospital,
Louisville, Kentucky.
The Victor Animatophone projector,
Model 40, serial number 109796, without
speaker, was taken from an auto March
28. It is the property of Mr. H. O. Babb,
director of religious education, Christian
Churches, Fort Worth, Tex.
A Model 40B Victor projector, serial
number 91978 and unit J, 12-inch speak¬
er, have been reported stolen. They are
the property of Watchung Area Council,
Boy Scouts of America, 133 East 6th
Street, Plainfield, New Jersey.
Red Cross Reports Loss
A Victor Animatophone Model 40B,
serial number 99270 has been reported
stolen by the American Red Cross, Nich¬
ols General Hospital, Louisville, Ky.
Finder please notify American Red Cross
or The Falls City Theater Equipment
Co., Louisville, Ky.
Victor Animatophone, Model 40B, seri¬
al number 109796 was stolen March 12
from Mr. Joe R. Babb, 2704 University
Ave., Fort Worth, Texas.
Three Victor Animatophones, models
40B, all with Unit “J” 12-inch speakers
have been stolen from Mr. J. A. Volk,
76 Rutgers St., Maplewood, N. J. The
serial numbers of the stolen machines
are: 87274, 79799 and 77173.
Victor Projector, serial number 96008,
has been reported stolen from the Ameri¬
can Red Cross, Billings General Hospital,
Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. Please
notify Mr. Edward Doyle at Red Cross
National Headquarters, Washington 13,
D. C., if found.
Major Edwin D. Easley, Air Corps
Provost Marshall, Roswell Army Air
Field, Roswell, New Mexico, reports that
a United States Model B-l Victor 16mm.
Motion Picture Camera, No. 44812, lens
No. (1) 309000, (2) 309328 and (3) 309,-
063, was lost or stolen from that station
on or about March 9, 1946.
Naved Announces
Convention Plans
The first post-war Convention and
Trade Show of the National Association
of Visual Education Dealers will be at
the Continental Hotel, Chicago, August
5 and 6, according to plans announced
by NAVED’S board of directors.
There will be exhibits of equipment, a
new feature of this year’s convention.
British Optical Expert Here
CHICAGO, Ill. — For the purpose of
exchanging technical information con¬
cerning precision optical manufacture,
Harry W. Martin, chief optical inspector
for the famous British firm of Taylor,
Taylor, and Hobson, Ltd., spent two
weeks during May at Bell & Howell’s
Lincolnwood Laboratories in Chicago.
Gettysburg Address as
Short Subject
Lincoln’s Gettysburg address has been
filmed in 16mm. color by Neil McGuire,
and will be released through Planet Pic¬
tures, Inc. McGuire has utilized minia¬
tures, animation and live action to dram¬
atize this immortal document.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
BUY and SELL
ARRIFLEX, 35mm. 3 lens turret news
cameras, with 12-volt motor, last coated
or uncoated lenses, hi-hat, non-spill light¬
weight battery, sunshade, complete.
CINEPHON silent 35mm. studio cam¬
era, takes Mitchell magazines, 5 lenses,
12-volt or I 10-volt motor, complete,
tinest outfit.
MAURER "D" recorder, complete.
MOVIOLA, 35mm., Model "D."
ZEISS IKON, 35rr«m. ultra high speed
motion picture camera. Will run up to
2000 pictures per second.
35mm. CAMERAS for slide film pro¬
duction.
BELL & HOWELL 35mm. step printer.
HOLMES 16mm. sound projectors,
$485.00, new.
FAST LENSES: 25-28-35-50-75-100-125-
150-200 mm. F2.3, F2. and FI. 8.
WE BUY— RENT— TRADE— SELL
CAMERA MART
70 West 45th Street, New York
Cable Address: CAMERAMART
VARIABLE DENSITY
OR VARIABLE AREA
RECORDING UNIT.
luuLjJiJttllllUjllljfliflilltlilifii/imlwilii’JifiihiiHliiiliminiiJimlwiIunluiiluulmihinlnuhi'lu. ,.,nl* *t.lii*l*al
I t
linumitmi
* Linear response makes processing easier
especially on density recordings.
* Flat frequency response.
* Requires only 300 milliwatts for full modu¬
lation.
Can be biased for noise reduction.
* Compact and light weight.
* Mounts in any position. V bed and locking
gib permit track position adjustment.
* True square edge of Mounting Plate to
check azimuth.
* Prefocused exciter lamps. Can be changed
in a few seconds. No adjustments required.
* Fine focus adjustment with one-sixteenth-
inch range is built in.
* Rugged vibrator unit. Will withstand over¬
loads without harm. No strings to break.
* May be used for 16 m/m or 35 m/ m tracks.
* Image .070 wide x .0003 thick.
* Proven performance. Hundreds of similar
units are now making recordings in the
popular Auricon Cameras and Recorders.
Price $450.00 F O B. Los Angeles.
We also make 1 6mm Sound Cameras and Recorders, Blimps and
Synchronous Motor-drives for the Cine-Kodak Special, and the
Automatic Parallax View-range Finder.
Emm DFDfcinT AADD MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON-FILM
■ Ivli DE.KNLM uUitr. recording equipment since 1931
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American Cinematographer • July, 1946
261
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CHICAGO 6, ILL.
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for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest possible deliv¬
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with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
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AC-7
Trans- Atlantic Flight Movies
“Shannon Airport, Erie. — World pre¬
miere showing of sound motion picture
Universal’s “So Goes My Love” just com¬
pleted on Pan American World Airways
Constellation Trans-Atlantic flight gander
to Shannon. Passengers report sound and
picture reproduction excellent. Filmo-
sound projector functioned perfectly at
15,000 feet and three hundred miles per
hour (signed) Captain O’Connor, Pan
American World Airways.”
With the receipt of the foregoing cable
on April 15, officials of Bell & Howell
Company learned that their new air¬
borne Filmosound projector had screened
the first routine aerial movie show with
success. Designed especially for this
event, the new machine ushers in an
even more enjoyable era in air trans¬
portation and passenger entertainment.
Since every available cubic foot of
space and every pound of weight are at
a premium when placed in the air, the
movie equipment had to be designed ac¬
cordingly, and the results are a tribute
to the ingenuity of Bell & Howell and
Pan American engineers involved. Usual
Bell & Howell quality was maintained
in every respect, despite changes in con¬
struction and design which were found
necessary in order to modify the equip¬
ment for the purpose. Because the pro¬
jector must operate off the plane’s regu¬
lar 24-volt D.C. power supply, special de¬
signing was required with reference to
projection lamps, amplifier circuit and
parts, and the projector motor.
During operation, the Filmosound is
supported by means of collapsible brack¬
ets and a folding shelf, attached to the
water cooler at the rear of the cabin,
which supports are quickly dismantled
and stowed out of sight between shows.
Ideal distribution of sound, despite the
peculiar acoustic conditions encountered,
is afforded by a series of small speakers
spaced along the ceiling of the plane’s
cabin.
Roy Tash Becomes Director
Roy Tash, veteran Canadian newsreel
cameraman for past 25 years, is switch¬
ing from cinematography to post of film
director with Associated Screen News
of Montreal. Douglas Skene assumes
Tash’s post in the newsreel division.
RENTALS
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35mm Double System Recording Equipment-
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WE SPECIALIZE in REPAIR WORK on
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Plans for 16mm
Society Disclosed
Aiming to correlate the efforts of pro¬
fessional 16 mm. cinematographers, pro¬
ducers, directors, writers, laboratory
technicians, in addition to others asso¬
ciated with 16 mm. film production as
amateurs or professionals, the United 16
mm. Society, Inc., has been formed in
Hollywood. Organizing group, headed by
Daniel B. Clark, A.S.C., who recently
retired as executive director of the pho¬
tographic department of 20th-Fox Stu¬
dios includes Arthur Miller, A.S.C., two-
time Academy Award winner; Clyde De-
Vinna, A.S.C., globe trotting exterior ex¬
pert in cinematography who also won
one Academy Oscar; Jack Stanfield, So¬
ciety Sixteen Cinematographers, and
member of S.S.C.’s board of directors;
and Alan Stensvold, S.S.C., who is rec¬
ognized as one of the top professional 16
mm. cinematographers in the field.
Primary Purposes
In launching the 16 mm. organization,
Clark states that his survey over a
period of years dictates that the field re¬
quired a central society which could pro¬
vide the heretofore unavailable services
and counsel on the technical, chemical,
processing phases of 16 mm. films with
the aim of uniformly improving the
product. In fact, “to organize for the
purpose of bringing together as a group
all those who are engaged in the produc¬
tion of distribution of 16 mm. films.”
Membership will be divided into two
classes: professional, with financial gain
as the major objective; and non-profes¬
sional, where the latter desire informa¬
tional and educational benefits.
After the organization has been per¬
fected to embrace a representative mem¬
bership nationally, it is expected to sur¬
vey the production and distribution fields
of 16. mm. with the long-range purpose
of establishing or setting up a releasing
organization (operated by and for mem¬
bers) for more efficient distribution re¬
turns on released product. Another ma¬
jor aim of the group is the coordination
of standards between the taking of pic¬
tures and the laboratory processing.
Camera Equip. Co. Eastern
Rep. for Micro-Engineering
Camera Equipment Company of 1600
Broadway, New York, has been appoint¬
ed eastern representative for the prod¬
ucts of Micro-Engineering Corporation
of Hollywood. Deal was concluded during
recent visit of CEC’s Frank Zucker to
the coast.
Micro is designing a number of ac¬
cessories for the 16mm. professional,
first piece of equipment introduced be¬
ing a 16mm. film splicer.
Still Printing Film
Paul Findley, who served four years
in the Army pictorial service — three
spent in the European theatre — as a film
printer, has joined the staff of Telefilm
Studios, 16mm. organization in Holly¬
wood. Findley admits his civilian job
isn’t a change — he’s still a film printer.
262
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 240)
ment he also coordinated the operations
of the Scenic Art, Process, Optical Print¬
ing, Insert, and Special Effects depart¬
ments; thus streamlining all the camera
work in the studio, eliminating duplica¬
tion of effort, and imposing still further
phototechnical consistency.
The Cine-Simplex Camera, of which
Fox Studios are justly proud, devel¬
oped after years of experiment by Grover
Laube, Robert C. Stevens and the late
Charles Miller, was perfected and put into
production by Dan Clark. He also con¬
tributed the standardized coated lenses
and the automatic slating and cueing
device.
Winning one of the distinctive statu¬
ettes for each of its inventors as the out¬
standing Technical Achievement in the
Motion Picture Industry for the year
1940, the Cine-Simplex camera has been
extolled and explained in reams of copy
that embraced the national news maga¬
zines as well as the photographic jour¬
nals.
Proud of his profession, Dan believes
that the cameraman is the most valu¬
able man on production. And while it’s
quite possible that he may be a wee bit
biased in his opinion, he backs that opin¬
ion with some pertinent facts. The actor,
he says, has the director to guide him.
And the director is advised by the pro¬
ducer. But there is no blueprint for the
cameraman’s work. He must make his
own decisions and his work can only
be evaluated after it has been done.
Cameramen are so important to produc¬
tion, he adds, that they are virtually
frozen insofar as advancing to status of
director or producer.
Just because Dan Clark has retired
from 20th Century-Fox don’t think for
one moment that he has given up his
interest in cameras, in pioneering, or in
helping people. His new venture is, “The
United 16 mm. Society, Inc.,” a non¬
profit organization appealing to both
amateur and professional cameramen,
writers, producers and distributors.
As a long established 16 mm. enthusi¬
ast in his own right, Dan introduced
16 mm. cameras and color film into Fox
Studios for test purposes. Loud in his
praise of the results obtained, he is en¬
thusiastic about the prospects for the
sub-standard film. Through the United
16 mm. Society he hopes “ ... to or¬
ganize all those interested in the 16 mm.
motion picture field on a national basis
— for the purpose of bringing them to¬
gether as a group so that those who are
engaged in any phase of the production
or distribution of 16 mm. films may bene¬
fit — their relationship to the industry be
better understood and recognized. “. . . .
to so bring it about that membership in
the Society shall be at once a mark of
honor and distinction, based on merit.
“. . . to conduct studies, surveys and
conferences in order to discover the
groups, individuals or activities needing
attention and to . . . advance solutions
to problems involved ... to act as an
agency on all problems confronting the
members ... to provide a reference bu¬
reau and clearing house for members
interested in the production and distribu¬
tion of their films, for the interchange of
ideas, information and data relative to
the purposes of this Society ... to create,
develop and maintain books, periodicals,
papers, records, scripts, exhibits, record¬
ings and films, charts and other graphic
material — for the benefit of the members.
“. . . to give, promote, foster and en¬
courage mutual aid among members . . .
to supervise, direct and provide in all
reasonable ways — any and all such serv¬
ices to its members ... to furnish statis¬
tics and unbiased facts to its members
as to their individual rights and require¬
ments ...”
The above quotes are from the bulle¬
tin put out by the United 16 mm. So¬
ciety. Dan also hopes to use this Society
to further forms of strict standardiza¬
tion in every phase of 16 mm. work and
equipment. This is certainly a job that
needs doing and one that will have to
be done before the narrow gauge film
comes completely into its own. Its a big
job. But Dan Clark has the experience,
the authority and the prestige to put it
over. And you can add to that the best
wishes of all his friends.
■
mm § 0 M
The new , improved
PHOTOGRID
.with interchangeable light-collectors to pro¬
vide fast, accurate control of all basic exposure
factors. Price, with Photosphere, $7 5, includ¬
ing tax. Write jor Complete Information Booklet.
PHOTO RESEARCH CORPORATION
15024 DEVONSHIRE STREET
SAN FERNANDO, CALIFORNIA
Telephone: San Fernando 6932
(See Article on Page 254)
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
263
Current Assignments of A S. C. Members
As this issue of American Cinematog¬
rapher goes to press, assignments of
A.S.C. members as Directors of Photog¬
raphy on current productions shooting in
the various Hollywood studios are as fol¬
lows:
Columbia Studios
Rudy Mate, “Down to Earth,” (Techni¬
color), with Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks,
Marc Platt, Edward Evrett Horton and
James Gleason.
Leo Tover, “Dead Reckoning,” with
Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott.
Charles Lawton, Jr. “The Return of
Monte Cristo.” (Edward Small Prod.)
with Louis Hayward, Barbara Britton.
Henry Freulich, “The Gloved Hand,”
with Anita Louise, Robert Scott.
Phil Tannura, “The Outlaw Tamer,”
with Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette,
Nancy Saunders.
Hal Roach Prods.
John Boyle, “Here Comes Trouble,”
(Cinecolor), with William Tracy, Joe
/If.
mdass
Pays
% CASH!
for your Camera and
Equipment
I want to buy your
• Contax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
'fiass
Camera Co.
79 W. MADISON ST.,
CHICAGO 2, ILL.
Sawyer, Beverly Lloyd, Joan Woodbury,
Betty Compson.
Independent Prods.
Benjamine Kline, “Rolling Home,”
(Screen Guild - Affiliated) with Jean
Parker, Russel Hayden, Raymond Hat¬
ton.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Joseph Ruttenberg, “Sacred and Pro¬
fane,” with Green Garson, Richard Hart,
Bob Mitchum.
Sidney Wagner, “High Barbee,” with
Van Johnson, June Allyson.
George Folsey, “The Secret Heart,”
with Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon,
June Allyson, Robert Sterling.
Ray June, “Beginning of the End,”
with Brian Donlevy, Robert Walker, Tom
Drake, Audrey Totter, Beverly Tyler,
Hurd Hatfield, Hume Cronyn, Joseph
Calleia, Henry O’Neill.
Paul Vogel, “Lady in the Lake,” with
Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter,
Leon Ames.
Harry Stradling, “Sea of Grass,” with
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Mel-
vyn Douglas, Robert Armstrong.
Charles Rosher, “Summer Holiday,”
(Technicolor), with Mickey Rooney, Glo¬
ria De Haven, Walter Huston, Frank
Morgan, Marilyn Maxwell.
Monogram
L. W. O’Connell, “Bringing Up Fath¬
er,” with Joe Yule, Renie Riano, Tim
Ryan.
Harry Neumann, “Wife Wanted,” with
Kay Francis, Robert Shayne, Paul Cav¬
anaugh, Veda Ann Borg.
Paramount
George Barnes, “Emperor Waltz,”
(Technicolor), with Bing Crosby, Joan
Fontaine, Oscar Karlweis, Sig Ruman.
Jack Greenhalgh, “Jungle Flight,”
(Pine-Thomas), with Robert Lowery,
Ann Savage, Douglas Fowley, Barton
McClane, Curt Bois.
RKO
Gregg Toland, “The Best Years of Our
Lives,” (Goldwyn Prod.), with Myrna
Loy, Frederic March, Dana Andrews,
Teresa Wright.
J. Roy Hunt, “The Devil Thumbs a
Ride,” with Lawrence Tierney, Nan
Leslie.
CAMERA SUPPLY COMPANY
ART REEVES
1515 North Cahuanga Boulavard
HOLLYWOOD Cabla Addrait — Camaras CALIFORNIA
Efficient-Courteous Service New and Used Equipment
Bought — Sold — Rented
Everything Photographic Professional and Amateur
An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals always in stock.
Lee Garmes, “The Secret Life of Wal¬
ter Mitty,” (Goldwyn Prod. — TechnicoL
or), with Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo,
Fay Bainter, Boris Karloff.
Joseph Walker, “It’s a Wonderful
Life,” (Liberty Films) with James Stew¬
art, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore,
Thomas Mitchell.
Milton Krasner, “Katie For Congress,”
with Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten,
Ethel Barrymore, Anna Q. Nilsson, Rose
Hobart, Charles Bickford.
Frank Redman, “Beat the Band,” with
Fances Langford, Gene Krupa.
Republic
Archie Stout, “Angel and the Outlaw,”
with John Wayne, Irene Rich, Gail Rus¬
sell, Bruce Cabot, Harry Carey.
20th Century-Fox
Arthur Miller, “The Razor’s Edge,”
with Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John
Payne, Anne Baxter, Herbert Marshall,
Anne Revere, Clifton Webb.
Norbert Brodine, “13 Rue Madeleine,”
with James Cagney, Annabella, Frank
Latimore, Richard Conte.
Joseph La Shelle, “The Late George
Apley,” with Ronald Colman, Peggy
Cummins, Richard Ney, Edna Best.
United Artists
Russell Metty, “Bel Ami,” (Loew-
Lewin. Inc.), with George Sanders, An¬
gela Lansbury, Ann Dvorak, Frances
Dee, Marie Wilson.
Lucien Androit, “Dishonored Lady,”
(Mars Films) with Hedy Lamarr, Dennis
O’Keefe, John Loder, William Lundigan.
Franz Planer, “The Chase,” (Nero
Prods.), with Robert Cummings, Michele
Morgan, Peter Lorre, Jack Holt.
Paul Ivano, “Strange Bedfellows,”
(Andrew Stone Prods.), with Eddie
Bracken, Priscilla Lane, Allen Jenkins,
Tom Conway, Arthur Treacher.
Universal
Hal Mohr and W. Howard Greene,
“Pirates of Monterey,” (Technicolor),
with Maria Montez, Rod Cameron, Philip
Reed, Mikhail Rasumny, Gilbert Roland.
Stanley Cortez, “Smash-Up,” (Walter
Wanger Prod.), with Susan Hayward,
Lee Bowman, Eddie Albert, Marsha
Hunt, Wallace Ford.
Russel Harlan, “Ramrod,” (Enter¬
prise), with Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake,
Donald Crisp, Preston Foster, Arleen
Whelan.
Joseph Valentine, “Magnificent Doll,”
(Skirball-Manning Prod.), with Ginger
Rogers, David Niven, Burgess Meredith,
Peggy Wood.
Tony Gaudio, “Swell Guy,” (Mark
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Uiad in Every Major Studio
Illliftrated Utaratura on Raqaeet
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 23, Calif.
264 July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Hellinger Prod.), with Sonny Tufts, Ann
Blyth, Ruth Warrick, William Gargan.
Charles Van Enger, “White Tie and
Tails,” with Dan Duryea, Ella Raines,
William Bendix, John Miljan.
Virgil Miller, “Vigilantes Return,”
(Cinecolor), with Jon Hall, Margaret
Lindsay, Andy Devine.
Warner Brothers
Arthur Edeson, “Stallion Road,” with
Ronald Regan, Zachary Scott, Alexis
Smith.
Peverell Marley and William V. Skall,
“Life with Father” (Technicolor), with
Irene Dunne, William Powell, Elizabeth
Taylor, Edmund Gwenn, ZaSu Pitts.
Ernest Haller, “Deception,” with Bette
Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains.
Carl Guthrie, “Cry Wolf,” with Errol
Flynn, Barbara Stanwyck, Geraldine
Brooks.
Sid Hickox, “Possessed,” with Joan
Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey,
Joan Chandler.
Bell & Howell Distributes
Pierce Magnetic Wire
Recorder
Bell & Howell has acquired distribu¬
tion of the Pierce model 55A wire re¬
corder and reproducer to add to B & H
audio-visual service in the educational,
industrial and religious fields of motion
pictures. Pierce wire recorder provides
66 minutes of continuous recording.
Because neither wear or deformation
of the wire occurs during recording or
reproducing, the wire itself will last in¬
definitely. Previously-recorded sound is
erased automatically when a new record¬
ing is made on the wire.
Central Cine Gets India
Newsreel
Central Cine Corporation, Ltd. of
Bombay has taken over production and
distribution of Indian News Parade and
information films from the government
of India, according to recent announce¬
ment of A. J. Patel, executive director of
Central Cine. Newsreel cameramen have
already been assigned in various parts of
the country to regularly supply film foot¬
age, and the company will maintain its
own aircraft for speedy delivery of nega¬
tive and prints. Cooperation with the
government will be maintained in pro¬
duction of educational and documentary
films, Patel stated.
Entertainment for A.S.C.
(Continued from Page 235)
who was dressed in the style befitting a
cameraman. Bergen, well-informed on
the technical terms of photography and
equipment, proceeded to kid the camera¬
men and practices all over the place, in¬
cluding raw stock, cameras, laboratories,
and lenses. For a brief encore, Bergen
brought Mortimer Snerd on for a few
comments and laughs.
To wind up the show, Carson, Mor¬
gan, Kelly and Kaye appeared to sing
a comedy ditty on cameramen and their
work to the tune of the quartette from
“Rigoletto.” For the musical portions of
the program, Leo Fortwtein of Warners
conducted the Freddie Martin orchestra,
with Martin taking over for the dance
program which followed the show.
Cine-Kodak News Is Back
Cine-Kodak News, the informative and
up-to-date amateur movie-making mag¬
azine which is automatically distributed
without charge to all active home movie
makers, has once again commenced pub¬
lication, according to an announcement
by the Eastman Kodak Company.
Reduced in size, but with more pages
added and with the use of color consid¬
erably increased, the publication is bring¬
ing readers a “refresher course” in home
movie making in its first postwar issue.
Titled an “Introductory Issue,” this first
Cine-Kodak News — 1946 style — stresses
the fundamentals of good movies, easy
movies, movies that are fun to take and
to show.
Future issues will be published as fre¬
quently as paper supplies permit, and
will contain seasonal and instructive ar¬
ticles of interest to all movie makers.
In addition, as in the past, the editors
offer a free review and criticism service
to all movie makers who want to im¬
prove their movie making.
C. H. Percy Promoted
Recently released from Navy duty
after three years in the service, C. H.
Percy has returned to Bell & Howell
Company, Chicago. At recent annual
meeting of stockholders, he was re¬
elected to the board of directors, and at
the first meeting of the new board was
promoted to the position of company
secretary. Previously he had been as¬
sistant secretary of the company.
EVERYTHING PIIOTOGRA
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS. ^
i «:
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
Iftl
SC
1
Filmosound Distributes
British Educational Films
By special arrangement with British
Instructional Films, Ltd., a large group
of educational films is to be made avail¬
able for rental and sale through the
Bell & Howell Filmosound Library and
its authorized representatives in the
United States. Many of these films are
not unknown to American schools, prints
of some have been in use for years by
educational film centers.
RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
Rents . . . Sells . . . Exchanges
#
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION
of Motion Pictures Provided
by a Veteran Organization
of Specialists
35 mm . 16 mm.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1910
729 Seventh Ave., New York City
Cabla Addrass: RUBYCAM
this"EYE"sees into
THE FUTURE
B&H Taylor-Hobson-Cooke
Cine Lenses do more than meet
current technical demands. They
exceed them — and their design
anticipates future improvements in
film emulsions. They are THE
long-term investment lenses.
Write for literature.
BELL & HOWELL COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1849 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaxa
Hollywood: 716 N. LoBrea Ave.
Washington, D. C.: 1221 G St., N. W.
London: 13-14 Great Castle St.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • July, 1946
265
Industry Salutes A.S.C.
(Continued from Page 233)
ica, we in the motion picture industry,
should look forward with a great deal
of hope, with encouragement that we
have this vast power that we can use
intelligibly for the future, with the
knowledge and understanding that Amer¬
ica is still the beacon light throughout
the entire world; and with the under¬
standing that the things that we have
always stood for and have fought for in
World War II, can be perpetuated.
Oh, I understand that there will be
tough years ahead; there will be jungles
of misunderstanding to be leveled; there
will be swamps of doubt to be filled;
there will be forests of fear to be cut.
But it seems to me that we should ap¬
proach this age with all of the enthusi¬
asm of a young man eagerly embarking
upon a new adventure. I think that the
gains that can be secured are well worth
the efforts involved and so let us in
the motion picture industry ring out the
lugubrious philosophies of sanctity and
senility and maturity; and let’s ring in
the confidence and hope and good cheer
that America and defeat have never been
made to rhyme. I can tell you that I am
very happy and very proud to be in the
motion picture industry.
McKINLEY
PHOTO LABORATORIES
6005 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 27
8
MM
CAMERAS
PROJECTORS
ACCESSORIES
FILM
16
MM
Still Processing • Photo Finishing
Sound Services. Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORD! NG
FOR SALE
WE BUY, SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT, NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
ING MANUFACTURERS. RUBY CAMERA
EXCHANGE, 729 Seventh Ave., New York City.
Established since 1910.
200-FT. CAPACITY, detachable magazine. MORI-
GRAF French-made spring-driven 35mm. cam¬
era, 3-lens revolving turret, direct focusing,
fitted with 28 mm., 40 mm., and 75 mm.
Apochromat F :2 lenses, and 6" F :2.5, 6 maga¬
zines, sound aperture, focus thru ground glass
or thru aperture, parallax finder, complete —
$1050.00
400 ft. inside magazine ASKANIA, hand-
dissolved shutter, direct focus, speed indicator. 3
magazines, 2" and 3'' Carl Zeiss F:3.5 lenses,
price, complete . $500.00
Complete range of Astro Pan-Tachar and very
fine Cine lenses.
BASS CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St.,
Chicago 2, Ill.
PROCESS BACKGROUND OUTFITS, complete,
$6000.00 ; Film Phonographs, $695.00 ; Latest
Galvanometers, $450.00 ; Moviolas, $195.00 ;
Densitometer, $125.00 ; Hollywood 2000W Studio
Fresnel Spots, $57.50 ; 16mm Sound Printers,
$975.00 ; Akeley Newsreel Camera, Gyrotripod,
$795.00 ; 33 % Transcription Record Players,
$19.96 ; Simplex Semi-Professional 35mm dual
Sound Projector Outfits (export only), $995.00;
Eyemo 3-speed with heavy tripod, $395.00 ;
Eyemo Turret, price on application. Send for
Listings. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORPO¬
RATION, New York 18.
FOR SALE— NEW 35mm. 2000 ft. DeVry Sound
projector. Navy Type “D”, Semi-Portable. Am¬
plifier and Speaker. One set Schneider Xenon
coated lenses unmounted: 28mm. F2, 50mm.
F2.3, 75mm. F2.3, 125mm. F2.3. Now available
large variety of high-grade lenses. CAMERA
MART, INC., 1610 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Holly¬
wood 28, Calif. HE-7373.
AURICON 16mm. S.O.F. Recorder. Complete,
ready to operate, like new. Cost $800.00. Want
Sound Camera only. Take best offer or deal.
SMITH’S RADIO LAB., 705 Croton Ave., New
Castle, Pa.
NEWMAN-SINCLAIR latest model 35. 50 &
75mm. Ross FI. 9 lenses ; 9% inch Tele-Zenar
F4.5. Two magazines, ground glass focusing,
leather case, excellent condition $950.00 com¬
plete. AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, Box
1030.
1 TELESCOPIC LENS, 35 inches, F4.2 on Special
Mount. 2 Astro Pan Tachar, 150mm. F.2.3.
1 Astro Pan Tachar 150mm. F1.8. 1 Astro
Tele 250mm. F5. 1 Astro Tele 400mm. F5.
All lenses in focusing mount. American Cine¬
matographer, Box 1031.
EYEMO 71Q, fully equipped. Over $2400.00 list
price. Excellent condition. Sell for $1600.00.
MOVIESOUND, 164-12 110th Rd., Jamaica, N.Y
WANTED
LENSES WANTED — Will pay top prices and spot
cash for all types of standard lenses such as
Zeiss, Goerz, Steinheil, Cooke, Wollensak, etc.,
etc. Mail lens for examination and state asking
price. Immediate service. Burke & James, Inc.,
321 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago 4.
16MM. Projectors, Cameras, Sound and Silent.
Sam’s Electric Shop, 35 Monroe Street, Passaic,
New Jersey.
WANTED
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL B & H EYEMO DEBRIE AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 19
CABLE: CINEQUIP
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO¬
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Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
WILL PAY TOP PRICES for strll cameras such
as Contax, Leica, Rollieflex, etc., also Cine
cameras and all types of photographic lenses.
Send full description or mail in for examination.
We acknowledge immediately. Photo Lens Co.,
140 W. 32nd Street, New York City.
WANTED -2x2 Selectraslide projector and five
additional magazines — 48 slide capacity. NEWS
REEL LABORATORY, 1707 SANSOM STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PENNA.
LABORATORY, STUDIO, OR RECORDING
Equipment, Sound Projectors, Cameras, Tripods.
Pay Highest Prices. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY
CORPORATION, New York 18.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16m/m) R. C. A.
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMS, 1101 North Capitol Street,
Washington, D.C.
JACK D. LEPPERT, Cinematographer, profes¬
sionally equipped. Hempstead 1394. 16mm foot¬
age and color shorts economically produced.
6770% Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28.
WE Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras, Projectors, Lab¬
oratory and Cutting Room Equipment. 8-16-35-
mm. We pay highest prices. Carry one of the
most diversified stocks in America. Mogull’s
Camera & Film Exchange, 57 West 48th Street,
New York 19, N. Y,
FILMS EXCHANGED
SOUND FILMS EXCHANGED $1.00 per reel,
plus postage. 400 ft. reel. Sam’s Electric Shop,
35 Monroe St., Passaic, New Jersey.
CAMERA & SOUND MEN
ARTISTICALLY & scientifically trained techni¬
cians with many years of experience. Studio
facilities — lighting — sound — cameras — workshop.
ROLAB
Sandy Hook, Connecticut
90 minutes from New York City
Telephone: Newton 581
266
July, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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271
American Cinematographer ® August, 1946
VOL. 27
AUGUST. 1946
NO. 8
CONTENTS
The Staff
Aces of the Camera (Vincent J. Farrar, A.S.C.), By W. G. C. Bosco 275
Evolution of the Camera in Sound-Film Production, 1926-1946 . 276
Cinema Workshop (2. Th6 Script) . By Charles Loring 278
Motion Pictures Sensationally Record “Operations Crossroads” . 280
Soviet Film Scenarios . By Dmitri Eremin 282
Sound and the Visual Image . By Herb A. Lightman 284
Among the Movie Clubs . 288
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members . 300
ON THE FRONT COVER William Powell and Irene Dunne, starring in
the Warner Brothers production of “Life with Father,” listen attentively
while Director of Photography Peverell Marley, A.S.C., explains a camera
setup. Technicolor Director of Photography William V. Shall, A.S.C. (left
of Marley), also participates in the conference.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Garmes Joseph Walker
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
•
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
e
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A.S.C.
John Arnold, A.S.C.
Arthur Edeson, A.S.C.
Lee Garmes, A.S.C.
Charles Rosher, A.S.C. •
Leon Shamroy, A.S.C."
Fred Gage, A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A.S.C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A.S.C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A.S.C.
Dr. W. B. Rayon, A.S.C.
Dr. V. B. Sease. A.S.C.
e
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year; Foreign, $3.50. Single copies, 25c;
back numbers, 30c; foreign, single copies, 35c,
back numbers, 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
272 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
RAPHAEL G. WOLFF
Prominent Producer of Commercial Motion Pictures
Looking Forward
Producers of commercial and docu¬
mentary films are looking forward
to the release of the new “Mitchell
16.” Raphael G. Wolff, one of the
foremost producers of 16 mm. films
says:
“We are always searching for im¬
provements in 16 mm. photography.
The service wdiich commercial, edu¬
cational and sponsored films can
render has resulted in a tremendous
increase in demand for such pic¬
tures. The best of equipment is
needed to serve this expanding in¬
dustry. If the Mitchell 16 is compar¬
able to the Mitchell 35 mm. cameras,
I know that the quality of commer¬
cial motion picture photography is
bound to be improved.”
A scene from "THE BIG SLEEP",
forthcoming Warner Brothers
production, filmed by a Mitchell
THE GREAT PICTURES OF TODAY
SHARE A PRICELESS QUALITY
To the brilliant perfection of the modern motion picture, the
Mitchell Camera contributes the final element — the recording
of this brilliance on film. The Mitchell Camera keeps pace with
the creative imagination and ingenuity of motion picture artists
in every field — makes possible the recording of their dreams,
so that they will come alive in the theatre.
The New " Mitchell 16"
Mr. Wolff can rest assured that
the Mitchell 16 mm. Professional
Camera is being constructed with
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Every feature, every detail of de¬
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end — to bring the highest stand¬
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to the 16 mm. field.
★ 85% of motion pictures shown in theatres
665 N. Robertson Boulevar’d
West Hollywood 46, Calif.
Phone BRadshaw 2-3209
Cable Add: "MITCAMCO"
%
' ; ' : . I
throughout the world were filmed by a Mitchell Camera
American Cinematographer • August, 1946
273
HOUSTON
Model 10
35mm negative
and positive film
processed up to
2400 ft. per hour
Undisputed leadership in sup¬
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processing machines to the film
industry goes to HOUSTON!
Built into new models are engineering
refinements, war proven and perfected,
that are setting new standards in major
film studios for rapid film processing.
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Camera Dollies and Cranes
Thermostatic Temperature Control by
refrigeration and heating. Stainless
steel used throughout.
Standard equipment may be modified
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HOUSTON Model 11
Daylight processing . . .
does not require a dark¬
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Processes 16mm negative,
positive and reversal film.
Precision performance at
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Write for descriptive folder
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 W. OLYMPIC BLVD. • WEST LOS ANGELES 25, CALIF.
August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
father’s land in Staten Island, New
York.
Vince’s memory is not sufficiently good
to recall the names of any of those sage¬
brush sagas, nor the name of the com¬
pany that, in 1910, was too busy making
ends meet to think about the part it
was playing in pioneering a new me¬
dium. But he remembers vividly renting
his father’s horses to the cause of cine¬
matic art for the sum of fifty cents per
day per horse. With his services, and
those of his brother, thrown in for good
measure.
Because the brothers Farrar could
ride bareback they were given the job
of being Indians. And sometimes the
warpaint, with which movie Indians
were always generously daubed in those
days, would be difficult to remove ex¬
cept as it came off on the towels and
sheets. And sometimes it seemed like a
great deal of work with the horses after
the excitement of the day was over. But
fifty cents a day is a lot of money when
you’re ten years old.
Besides, there was a fascination and
a certain glamor about movie making
even in' those days; and working in them
set Vincent apart from his fellows. He
could talk intimately about the secrets
hidden inside the little black box, and
hold his youthful friends spellbound as
he talked about his experiences acting
Indian in front of it. He told them it
was the most wonderful business in the
world to be in, and that he would always
be in the business of making movies.
They believed him. And perhaps he
talked himself into it.
Vince continued to work for the movie
companies throughout his schooldays.
And although some of the jobs he did
were, in the eyes of his schoolmates,
lacking in the qualities of prestige that
his earlier, Indian portraying job had,
he was perfectly happy. Running for
sandwiches for the men in the lab finally
won him an entree into that sanctum,
and a willingness to clean up the place
and look after the racks and drums won
him an initiation into the mysteries ol
the lab-man’s craft. Eventually he was
elevated to the title department, and at
the age of seventeen was chosen by
Billy Bitzer to be his assistant.
It was a most fortunate turn of events
that put Vincent Farrar, the camera
protege, under the instruction of Bitzer,
who, as cameraman for the great David
Wark Griffith, had won and was then
still winning new recognition for the
screen. It was an apprenticeship rich
in experience gained from a man who
was constantly setting new standards
for the art of cinematography and fre¬
quently introducing ideas that were
years in advance of his contemporaries.
It was a rich inheritance.
In D. W. Griffith’s “Dream Street,”
starring Carole Dempter and Ralph
Graves, fog, the bete noire of early day
cameramen, was introduced on a set for
the first time. To lend reality to the
Limehouse sequence of the picture the
fog, in the form of steam, was piped onto
(Continued on Page 294)
ACES of the CAMERA
VINCENT J. FARRAR, A.S.C.
By W. C.
IT MAY BE as apocryphal as a press
agent’s release, but the story is gen¬
erally accepted that people who have
only the vaguest idea of New York, Chi¬
cago or Washington or who have never
heard of Anaheim, Azusa or Cucamonga,
are all perfectly familiar with the most
intimate goings-on in the Entertainment
capital of the World, the Home of Mo¬
tion Pictures — Hollywood.
So fast, in fact, has been the growth
of the industry in Hollywood, so wide
its influence, and so firmly entrenched
C. BOSCO
has it become in the minds of people
generally as THE place where movies
are made that it comes as a shock some¬
times to realize that there was a time
when moving pictures were not made in
Hollywood.
And the shock is even greater when
that realization comes as a result of a
conversation with a man as young as
Vincent Farrar who talks with intimate
memory of appearing in the early day
Westerns that were filmed against the
rugged, frontier atmosphere of his
American Cinematographer • August, 1946
275
Evolution
of the
Camera
in
Sound - Film
Production
1926-1946
One of the sound-proofed camera booths used from 1926 to 1929 which al¬
lowed no camera movement whatsoever, and tabbed "sweatboxes" by cam¬
era crews due to lack of ventilation.
IT seems but just a few years ago that
Warner Brothers launched experi¬
ments and research aiming at the
practical adaptation of sound for motion
picture production. But those pioneering
efforts 20 years ago instituted by a com¬
pany which gambled its entire financial
future and existence in the enterprise
when the then larger major organiza¬
tions ignored the potentialities of sound
for films — resulted in quick and spec¬
tacular success; and revolutionized the
industry to also radically change the en¬
tire technique of film production.
The past two decades have been the
most sensational in the 50 odd years of
history of the industry. And the artistic
and technical progress of cinematogra¬
phy have been most important contribu¬
tions to the rapid advance in general pro¬
duction quality of pictures now being re¬
leased.
To an old-timer of the industry, mem¬
ory goes back to the one reel days of
35 yeai'S ago, when camera setups were
static — the lens faced the actors during
scenes, and the players were forced to
stay within chalk-marked sidelines. Early
introduction of pan shots allowed for
greater fluidity of the camera, and pro¬
vided the cameraman with an opportun¬
ity of adding materially to the dramatic
or comedic tempo of the picture. Such
camera movement — through the ingenu¬
ity of the motion picture photographers
who refused to be restricted in camera
movement and soon had the cameras out
of the original confining sound-proofed
booths and under blimps or blankets to
again allow for widespread fluid move¬
ment.
McClay’s Work for Warners
The grandpappy of the modern camera
“blimp,” the device which keeps the noise
of the turning camera mechanism out of
the finished motion picture, was a large
rectangular box with an electric bell in¬
side.
The box was invented and insulated
for sound by Edward McClay, one of the
many early-day technicians who labored
to perfect the talking picture.
At the time that Warner Bros, were
struggling to bring Vitaphone to perfec¬
tion 20-odd years ago, McClay was the
proprietor of a small manufacturing
business in Los Angeles. His help in elim¬
inating camera noise was not sought
during the filming of the very earliest
Vitaphone pictures.
When the first short subjects for Vita¬
phone were recorded, the camera was
placed in a refrigerator-like box, one
side of which consisted of double plate
glass windows. The boxes were thick
with insulation, air tight, and decidedly
uncomfortable for the operating camera¬
man stationed inside.
It was realized early by Warner Bros,
technicians that some better way of
eliminating camera noise should be
found. McClay, whose manufacturing
company worked extensively with cellu¬
loid pi'oducts, was consulted. He though
he could build a cemera cover which
would make it silent. To prove his con¬
tention, he built an oblong box of alter¬
nating materials and air spaces and in¬
stalled an electric bell inside. This he
brought to the studio for demonstration.
When he rang the bell the noise of it
was scarcely discernable even close by
the box.
Believing McClay was on the right
track, Warner Bros, commissioned him
to build four camera covers and when
these were delivered and tested, in 1929,
he was offered a contract to work solely
for the studio. His process was patented
and McClay and his patents came to the
Warner lot, whex-e they have remained
ever since.
According to the expert noise elimina¬
tor, his problems only commenced when
he moved his workshop to the Warner
camera department. As fast as the sound
engineers improved the pickup of their
microphones, he had to eliminate still
more of the faintly audible camera noise.
It was a race between sensitivity of the
sound equipment and McClay’s ingenuity.
He has managed to keep a jump ahead
for 15 years.
McClay looks forward to the day when
his original patents will run out and he
can retire to live in comfort on the
money he has made by taking camera
noises out of sound pictures. As high
spots in his experiences he lists his
accidental discovery of the German pro¬
cess of making a non-inflammable cellu¬
loid for his camera covers, and his first
use of sponge rubber as a sound dead-
ener inside the camera blimp.
Early Sound Production Experiences
It is interesting to record the reminis¬
cences of veteran cinematographers who
276 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Late in 1929, the first test sound blimp for a camera was devised (left) which brought the camera and
crew out of the booth. Shortly after, initial permanent blimp (right) was perfected to cover the camera;
with four walls, three air spaces, and sponge rubber lining, to deaden camera movement sound. Standard
Mitchell camera was enclosed.
were associated with initial sound pro¬
duction activities. Arthur Edeson, A.S.C.,
whose motion picture photography
dates back to the one reel era, recalls
that Fox’s “In Old Arizona” was the
first exterior feature in which sound was
actually recorded outside of the studio.
“Everyone told us it couldn’t be done,”
said Edeson who photographed the pro¬
duction in 1929. “In the early days of
talkies we were continually told that thi3
or that could not be done because it
would not record correctly. Those ‘sound
experts’ all but collapsed when anyone
mentioned recording sound on location.
“Edmund Hansen, originally head of
the Fox sound department who recently
retired, and myself decided there was no
reason why it could not be accomplished.
After all, Fox Movietone News was then
being filmed and recorded outside of
sound stages.
“So we packed our equipment and
travelled south to San Juan Capistrano,
spending three weeks making tests back
of the Mission there, and doing all the
things the sound ‘experts’ stated could
not be done.
“I had an especially quiet camera; so
it was never heard in the long shots. In
the close shots, I quieted the motor with
a padded quilt, but if that did not work
I’d set up a big plate glass which sepa¬
rated the camera from the actors and
the microphone. Although you could walk
around it, the glass stopped the camera
noise from drifting into the microphone.
The tests proved we could photograph an
outdoor picture in sound without diffi¬
culty.” And the resultant picture was a
smash hit.
Marley’s Camera Blimp
Pev Marley, A.S.C. — youngest Director
of Photography in the industry 20 years
ago shooting C. B. De Mille productions
— was one of the first motion picture
photographers to switch from the cum¬
bersome and hot-box sound-proof camera
booths to a blimp. De Mille, in directing
“Dynamite” as his first talking produc¬
tion for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, required
a pan shot for an important dramatic
scene. So Marley, who had been doing
some testing on his own, moved in a
camera blimp to accomplish the assign¬
ment and never went back into the cam¬
era booth.
“I’ll never forget,” said Marley, “the
nervous hours we spent making that film.
The biggest trouble in those early
days was the lack of co-ordination be¬
tween the mike and the cameraman.
Mikes, not being as sensitive as they are
today, were hung right down into the
middle of a scene and were always drop¬
ping down into the frame line so that we
were cutting off the actors at the nose.”
Greatest difficulty in making the early
:
i
In 1934 a new covering (left) was found for the Mitchell camera, as sensitivity of sound recording required even more quieter camera. Back opening
of blimp was more convenient than previous blimps. Then in 1937, the first BNC Mitchells (right) particularly quiet, replaced the cumbersome blimps,
and are still being used on production.
American Cinematographer • August, 1946
277
The Cinema
Workshop
2. THE SCRIPT
By CHARLES LORING
IN the last installment of Cinema
Workshop we discussed the Cinematic
Idea and pointed out that every
worthwhile motion picture, no matter
what its type or aim, is based upon the
seed of an idea. After the idea has been
selected and broadened out into a theme,
a script is then constructed as a working
plan for translating that idea into a
motion picture.
The script is the film-maker’s blue¬
print. It is a plan of action and dialogue,
of camera angles and lighting — it should
provide information from which every
technician on the picture can plan the
details of his particular contribution to
the film. Time was when Hollywood di¬
rectors could stage a whole feature with¬
out having one word of the story down
on paper — but that era has long since
passed. Today every entertainment film
is scripted in the very finest detail be¬
fore a camera is allowed to turn. But
this technique is not exclusive to Holly¬
wood. Every film — be it documentary,
commercial, training film, or home movie
— should be shot from a script. Aside
from the saving of time, effort and ex¬
pense, a well-planned script will mean
a better-integrated film, one that “hangs
together,” one that tells a tight, unified
story without going off on tangents.
Much has been written on script-writ¬
ing, but usually articles and books stress
the screenplay form rather than going
behind the scenes to deal with the more-
or-less abstract elements that go to
make up a good script. It is these ele¬
ments that we shall analyze in the fol¬
lowing article, since, once they are
mastered, the actual construction of the
script is a relatively routine mechanical
job. We shall deal with phases of script-
preparation that are common to all types
of filming.
What an Audience Expects
Films are made to satisfy an audience.
No matter what the approach, or wheth¬
er the aim is to inform or entertain —
no film can really be successful unless it
is accepted by an audience. Film audi¬
ences today are much more critical than
they used to be. Consciously or subcon¬
sciously they have come to expect the
motion picture to live up to certain
standards of construction. If these stand¬
ards are lacking, the audience will reject
the film — even though they may not be
able to tell you specifically what is wrong
with it. Any film producer, before he
plans a picture, should know what his
audience expects.
First of all, a motion picture should
put across a unified, dominant idea; it
should tell some sort of story completely.
Too many films are fragmentary, disor¬
ganized, lacking in coherence. They nib¬
ble at the edges of an idea rather than
stating it boldly and following through
to a definite conclusion.
Secondly, the motion picture is an ac¬
tion medium — therefore, it should be
written and produced with the emphasis
on action. Static scenes or sequences, too
much dialogue or narration in place of
visual action — these are the factors that
slow down a film and defeat its purpose.
An audience also expects the idea to
be presented with variety and force. It
is not enough merely to place the facts
upon the screen. The approach used must
stimulate the audience’s imagination with
a variety of treatment, and at the same
time forcefully present the subject mat¬
ter.
An audience has a natural curiosity re¬
garding the locale and the characters
portrayed in the film. A well-written
script will satisfy this curiosity by clear¬
ly establishing the locale, as well as pre¬
senting enough detail to clearly identify
each character and his relationship to
the story.
Many film-makers, attempting to plot a
script for filming, feel that the story
must be full of odd and unique situa¬
tions. Actually it is well-night impossible
to find a situation that is entirely origi¬
nal. An audience is more concerned with
the freshness of the approach used in
presenting the situation.
It is relatively easy to stimulate audi¬
ence-interest in a worth-while theme, but
the real task faced by the script-writer
is to maintain that interest sequence-by¬
sequence throughout the entire film. The
novice script-writer, regardless of the
type of film he intends to write, can
learn much about audience demands by
studying the construction of the better
Hollywood photoplays. The box-office
thrives on favorable audience-reaction —
HIGH AND DIZZY! Jack Greenhalgh, A.S.C., al! set to shoot a process background plate of the street
below for a Pine-Thomas production to be released by Paramount.
278 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
therefore, these films have to please audi¬
ences in order to be successful.
Evolving the Script
A good script does not “just grow.”
Rather, it evolves through a series of
steps from the original idea to the actual
diagram for production which we call the
shooting script.
Perhaps in the simplest form of film¬
ing: the home movie, all of these steps
are not necessary. But in every other
kind of picture, whether it be docu¬
mentary or feature production, the writer
will find that he can produce a much
better script if he follows a definite plan
in preparation.
Let us say that the idea for the film
has been established. The next step is to
sketch briefly the outline of the story
that is to be built around the idea. This
is called the synopsis, and it may take
the form either of a plot outline or a
short prose summary of the story. The
important thing to remember about the
synopsis is that it treats only the basic
plot of the film; it does not deal with
cinematic approach or production tech¬
nicalities. The synopsis is the stage at
which the story is organized and revised
until it is correct in terms of what the
film-maker wants to say in his picture.
After the synopsis is approved and the
story values have been set, the writer
can then take the story and write in the
broader, more-detailed form that we call
the treatment. This is a more-or-less full
exposition of the story, written in nar¬
rative form and including essential ac¬
tion and dialogue (in content, if not in
final form). In addition, the treatment
gives general suggestions as to the cine¬
matic approach to be used in interpret¬
ing various parts of the story. It sug¬
gests the scope of the film, the amount
of production-value involved, and vari¬
ous technical devices that will aid in put¬
ting the story across.
When the treatment is completed it
should be studied by all the technicians
involved in the production, who can then
get together in story conference to dis¬
cuss the film, make any necessary revi¬
sions, and decide whether the picture as
presented in the treatment can be shot
with the facilities at hand. If not, suit¬
able revisions can be made.
Once approved, the treatment can then
be broken down into scenario form (also
called screenplay , continuity , or shooting
script). The scenario is a highly detailed
description in technical language of the
film that is to be shot. It is an elaborated
breakdown of the treatment into actual
scenes and sequences, with action and
dialogue clearly defined. It supplies a
good deal of information for the techni¬
cians regarding camera set-ups, locale of
scenes, costumes, set decorations, light¬
ing, etc. Moreover, the scenario points
up the action, elaborates on the charac¬
ters, includes little bits of “business,”
and suggests variations in pace and tem¬
po. In short, the scenario is the detailed
blueprint of the film to be shot.
Continuity
We next come to the subject conti¬
nuity. The term itself is something rath¬
er vague even to people who have been
CLOSE SHOT. Sol Polito, A.S.C., crouched behind camera makes final check preparatory to shooting a
scene with Gary Cooper and Vladmir Sokoloff in "Cloak and Dagger," United States Picture for Warners
directed by Fritz Lang.
making films for years. Actually, conti¬
nuity is nothing more than the inter-rela¬
tion of separate scenes and sequences
blending together to form a unified cine¬
matic pattern. If a screen story “hangs
together” well and proceeds smoothly
from one phase to another without ab¬
rupt breaks in connection or meaning,
we say that it has smooth continuity.
In simpler form, the term means that
a good script has a beginning, middle,
and end — each a separate phase of the
story, but one leading logically into the
other with a strong sense of connection
binding them together. This result can
only be achieved by careful pre-planning.
The dramatic or story elements involved
should be organized in a logical pattern
so that they tie-in smoothly together. The
script is the place where continuity
should originate; contrary to popular be¬
lief it cannot be manufactured in the
cutting room.
In breaking down our treatment into
scenario form, the first step is to divide
the action into sequences. A sequence is
a series of scenes which, when joined to¬
gether consecutively, put across a unified
idea or phase of action. Most stories log¬
ically divide themselves into separate se¬
quences. A study of the treatment will
reveal where one phase of the story ends
and the next begins. For simple compari¬
son you might say that a sequence in a
screenplay is like a chapter in a novel.
If the various sequences are thought
of as separate units, it will be easier for
the screen-writer to break down the
script. Taking one sequence at a time, he
then divides it into individual scenes or
shots. Each of these scenes is, in turn, a
unit within itself — but its pattern and
meaning are dependent upon the other
scenes that precede and follow it, as well
as upon the overall approach of the
script. Unless this relationship is recog¬
nized and carefully integrated, the script
will almost surely lack continuity .
Elements of Dramatic Construction
We have said that a good script must
have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
(Continued on Page 292)
American Cinematographer • August, 1946 279
Motion Pictures Sensationally
Record 'Operations Crossroads"
WHEN the atomic bombs cut loose
last month at Bikini Atoll, the
blasts and their after-effects
rated the most inclusive and most com¬
pletely thought-out aerial motion picture
coverage ever attempted. Out of the un¬
precedented total of 251 airborne movie
cameras sheduled for use by the Army
Air Forces on this occasion, 159 were
Bell & Howell 35mm. Eyemos and 16mm.
Filmos; in addition to a number of East¬
man type III highspeed cameras.
Although Operation Crossroads was a
joint Army-Navy project, and Navy
aerial photography will play an impor¬
tant part (in the form of four F6F photo
aircraft and two torpedo bomber sections
equipped for picture-taking), this re¬
lease is confined to mention of the mis¬
sion scheduled by the Army Air Forces.
Some idea of the scope of AAF cover¬
age in motion pictures is afforded by a
listing of the number of planes assigned
to this phase of the experiment. Operat¬
ing out of Kwajalein, two 4-plane flights
of F-13’s (B-29 Superfortresses equipped
for photographic work) photographed
the daddy of all experiments before, dur¬
ing, and after the dropping of history’s
fourth atomic bomb. Each F-13 was
completely filled with precision photo¬
graphic equipment as barely to accom¬
modate the operators.
Flight “A” filmed the target and the
area above it, flying at approximately
27,000 feet about 15 nautical miles from
the target. Flight “B” effected similar
coverage at about 27,000 feet, but with a
different orbit and heading, and in addi¬
tion served as a replacement pool. If
any F-13 of Flight “A” is forced to drop
out of position, an identically-equipped
plane from Flight “B” slipped directly
into Flight “A’s” pattern and took over.
Also operating out of Kwajalein were
two big C-54’s, equipped just as elabo¬
rately for cinematography as the Super¬
forts already mentioned.
Spring-Driven “Spares” in Readiness
In addition to the total of 72 flexibly-
mounted, motor-driven 16mm. and 35mm.
Bell & Howell cameras on these ten
planes, each cameraman had within easy
reach a “spare” in the form of a spring-
driven 35mm. Eyemo. Also, two of the
five camera stations in each F-13 were
manned by experts who were there for
the purpose of filming the blast with
hand-held Eyemo cameras. Thus, with
both motor-drive and spring-drive at
hand, the Army Air Forces took no
chances on power failure.
The war-famous G.S.A.P. gun cameras
were mounted at vantage points on
these planes, to act as robots. Further¬
more, nine additional motion-picture cam¬
eras were mounted in each F-13, and
aimed in unison by means of the G-E
aeria 1 gunsight, the optical sighting
units for which were designed and made
during the war by Bell & Howell Com¬
pany. Having rendered the Superforts’
guns so deadly in combat, these sights
were virtually tailor-made for this par¬
ticular purpose.
Inasmuch as all planes except the
“drones” flew well beyond the radio¬
active power of the atomic energy re¬
leased, no protection for their cameras
and film was considered necessary. But
the radio-controlled B-17 drones are an¬
other matter. Based on Eniwetok, all
four of the drones and two of their six
mother ships were completely equipped
for cinematography. The drones kept
in the vicinity of the lethal radioactive
area following the blast, and later were
sent by their mother ships right into
the atomic “cloud” itself, in an attempt
to gather data of many kinds. Accord¬
ingly, all cameras in the drones were
incased in lead to protect the film from
radio-activity, and exposures were con¬
trolled automatically. In addition to con¬
trolling the flight of the drones, two
of the B-17 mother ships made a photo¬
graphic record of what happened to the
six robot “children.”
How Drone Cameras Were Aimed
What about keeping the drone cam¬
eras aimed right on target? Anyone
who has flown at all knows only too well
that air currents aloft can cause a
plane to change bearing unexpectedly,
to bounce up and down, and how a pilot
must cope with “roll, pitch, and yaw” in
maintaining his course. Again, anyone
who has ever looked into a camera view¬
finder can understand how difficult it
would be to keep his subject in his pic¬
ture if he were suddenly to be moved
up or tilted sideways. Using telephoto
lenses, with the target miles away, the
problem is even worse, and it had to be
taken into serious account in planning
photography from the drone B-17’s.
Hence each drone was equipped with a
television nose, from which signals were
sent to a television set on the mother
ship. A technician in the mother ship
scans his television screen and sees there¬
on exactly what would be seen at the
same instant from the cockpit of the
drone miles away, near the target. Thus,
by radio control he not only can “trim
ship” on the drone to keep it in the air
and on its course, but he also can keep
its fixed-position movie cameras trained
right on the target! Furthermore, this
operator on the mother ship can start
and stop the drone’s cameras at will.
Aboard each drone, dutifully obeying
these radio calls for “Camera!” will be
one Eyemo and two Filmo cameras,
“getting what the operator sees” by tele¬
vision.
GOOD MORNING! Loretta Young, star of the Hal Wallis production for Paramount, "The Perfect Marriage, ''
gives a cherry greeting to Director of Photography Russell Metty, A.S.C. as she reports on the set for scenes
in the picture.
280 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Soviet Film Scenarios
By Dmitri Eremin
(Director, Scenario Studio, All-Union Cinema Committee.)
(Editor’s Note: This article on a phase
of the Soviet film industry is an official
government - approved release radioed
from Moscow. Because of inability in
impartial reports on the status and prog¬
ress of the Soviet film industry at this
time, we are publishing this article which
gives information on the current film pro¬
duction progress in Russia; particularly
on the type of features made and in
preparation.)
Noted for their good humor and ex¬
pressiveness, the Russian people ap¬
preciate clever entertainment, but they
want something deeper. They do not
fall for superficial beauty, neither do
they seek escape from real life in a
world of imaginary joys. Overall, the
Russians have a practical and active
approach to reality.
Perhaps for this reason, the principal
demand made on the scenario writer
is that his script be full of meaning and
the truth of life. And if we look back
at the pictures that scored the great¬
est success with Soviet audiences, we
see that they fully answer these two
demands. In scripts of such films as
“Chapayev,” “Battleship Potemkin,”
“Deputy of the Baltic,” “Youth of Max¬
im,” “The Great Citizen,” “Mother,”
“Lenin in October,” “Lenin in 1918,”
and many others — Soviet spectators ob¬
tain a well-rounded appraisal of the re¬
cent history of his native land, and in
the heroes he recognized the principal
traits of the Russian character.
And it is namely these scenarios and
films that determined the development of
Soviet cinematography previous to the
war against Facist Germany. In these
pictures, both the scenario writer and
producer endeavored to tackle the moral
and social problems, and to give a truth¬
ful portrayal of characters in simple,
yet monumental, form.
When the war broke out, the scenario
writer was faced with a direct and ur¬
gent task: to help the people in the
struggle against the enemy and to rally
the spiritual powers of workers, peas¬
ants, and intelligentsia to overcome the
wartime difficulties and respond to cur¬
rent nationwide problems. Thus came
into being such scenarios as “District
Committee Secretary” by I. Prut, directed
by Pyriev; I. Bondin’s “She Defends Her
Country,” directed by Ermler; K. Simo¬
nov’s “In Name of Country,” directed by
Pudovkin; Eremin Gabrilovich’s “Two
Fighters,” directed by Lukov; G. Mdi-
vani’s “Moscow Sky,” directed by Raiz-
man; and later L. Arnshtam’s “Zoya;”
Donskio’s “Rainbow;” S. Gerasimov’s
“Mainland;” M. Romm’s “Number 217;”
and many others.
During the first years of the war,
scenario writers avoided generalizations
and concentrated on the production of
particular instances and situations that
appeared typical during definite stages
of the war. Here the scenario writer
came face to face with the gruesome
and brutal methods employed by the
Germans in the war, and could not help
but reflect them in his war picture
scripts. At the same time he endeavored
to bring in characters and situations
that would definitely show at what cost
the Russians were fighting the Nazis.
The final stages of the war and the
ushering in of peace, found the Soviet
scenario writers returning to the prin¬
ciples of work that are typical of the
Soviet cinema — profound artistic gener¬
alization and the tackling of the great
problems of life.
Of particular interest in this respect
are the latest scenarios of such well-
known writers and producers as Chirskov,
Romm, Gabrilovich, Mdivani, Grebner,
Pavlenko, Simonov, Bleiman, Gerasimov,
Kozintsev, Trauberg, and others.
Some time ago, Friedrich Ermler pro¬
duced “Turn of the Tide” from script
by Chirskov — a clever and penetrating
author well known for his scripts of
“Chkalov,” “Invasion,” and other pic¬
tures. Task he set for himself in “Turn
of the Tide” was to give a deep monu¬
mental dramatization of the strategy of
the Soviet command in the battle for
Stalingrad. The story is built around
the efforts of an army general to turn
the tide of war at that spot. He suc¬
ceeds in doing so by routing and sur¬
rounding the troops of several German
field marshals. It is a powerful picture
and we hope that our American friends
will see it on their theatre screens.
Somewhat of a different style is the
scenario written by G. Kozintsev and L.
Traubert titled “Simplefolk.” This is a
stirring story with good plot about the
people of a Leningrad factory who were
moved to Central Asia in the early days
of the Nazi offensive. In this film,
there’s much of what is termed heroics
of the homefront and much touching
human warmth. It also brings to the
screen one of the most important chap¬
ters in the history of the Soviet Union.
Here, heroics of the homefront as de¬
picted not in a sense of particular but as
general manifestation of the national
character of the Soviet people and their
deep patriotic consciousness. Herein lies
an affinity between “Simplefolk” and
“Turn of the Tide.”
On the same plane is Pavlenko’s
scenario for “Oath,” now being produced
by M. Chiaureli, eminent Georgian di¬
rector. In relationships between a group
of characters — from youth to maturity —
the author shows the path of Soviet
Russia from the reconstruction period of
1918-1922 to 1940-1944. This is a most
serious endeavor for what is expected to
b an important picture.
Of considerable interest also are scena¬
rios for “New Yugoslavia” by G. Mdi¬
vani, and “Eagle’s Nest,” by Dolidze —
both devoted to the war of liberation of
the Yugoslav people.
Variety in both plot and subject matter
is the keynote of the new post-war Soviet
scenarios. Soviet writers resumed work
along lines which best expressed their
leanings. Some of the new scenarios are
worthwhile in mentioning — “Life in
Blossom,” by A. Dovzhenko; “Biography
of Michurin, Great Russian Horticultur¬
ist”; “Song of Varyag,” by G. Grebner,
a drama of Russian sailors in the Russo-
Jap war of 1904; E. Gabrilovich’s “Our
Heart,” dealing with adventures of Soviet
pilots; and N. Asanov’s “Diamonds,”
based on life of geologist who discovers
diamonds in the Ural Mountains. Of im¬
portance also are a number of historical
and biographical scenarios dedicated to
great generals, scientists and statesmen
of USSR, in addition to screen versions
of Russian classics by Lermontov,
Ostrovsky, Gorky, Chekhov, and others.
Notable efforts are being made in the
field of comedy. This is particularly true
of G. Alexandrov’s eccentric comedy,
“Spring”; I. Savchenko’s screening of old-
fashioned vaudeville in “Dowry with
Monograms”; “Lev Sinichkin,” comedy
by N. Erdman and M. Volpin; E. Po-
meschikov’s pair of new comedies, “Ivan”
and “Maria” — both dealing with recon¬
struction in a Belo-Russian village; and
“Your Far-Away Bride,” which deals
with the return of Turkmenian Red Army
soldiers and their friendships. Also of in¬
terest are the comedy scenarios of S.
Polotsky and D. Tarasov titled “Fasci¬
nated Sergeant,” which deals with re¬
turn of a girl from the front to her na¬
tive village in Kazakhstan; “First Glove,”
a boxing story by A. Filimonov; “Arrow,”
by E. Pomeshchkov and B. Laskin; and
“Sober Wine,” E. Mintz’ tale of a girl
who invented a new non-alcoholic wine
while working in a distillery.
However, the current comedy feature
which promises to be particularly inter¬
esting is “Railroad,” by M. Romm and
K. Mintz. Action of this comedy which
tells a story of love and loyalty, is laid
in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Half
of the film pictures the 21st century with
its fantastic techniques — but the main
portion of action is laid in the present.
This scenario is dynamic and packed with
plenty of humorous situations.
The Soviet scenario writer works for a
most exacting public which demands
genuine art in its cinema entertainment
and not just sheer entertainment.
282 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
t
rfutula&te ^ntMteclictfe T^elivenyf
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4 Bakelite film centers
I 1000' and I 400' magazine loading hooks
I Filter holder container with 9 double and 3 single
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I Oil can
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I Screwdriver
I Bottle of camera lubricating oil — good for 80 below ,
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946 283
Sound and the
Visual Image
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
IT WAS just twenty years ago this
month that the motion picture found
its voice— for it was on August 6,
1926, that Warner Bros, released “Don
Juan,” starring John Barrymore, the
first completely scored sound motion pic¬
ture. Less than a year later the “Jazz
Singer,” starring A1 Jolson, drew huge
crowds to the box office and sent the na¬
tion’s film exhibitors scurrying to install
sound projection equipment.
At first sound films were considered a
novelty, something pessimistic prophets
said couldn’t possibly last, but in the
scant two decades that have elapsed since
the first life-cries of the cinema squalled
forth, sound has become an integral ele¬
ment of motion picture making. Sound
and the visual image have been welded
together as firmly in an artistic way
as they are blended physically when
printed side-by-side on the same strip
of film.
It is anti-climactic to say that sound-
on-film is here to stay. That fact was
evident from the moment the “Jazz
Singer” opened his mouth. But it is only
in the past several years that creative
sound as applied to the visual image has
come to be regarded as a complete and
potent medium within itself.
In the early days of sound production,
directors considered themselves lucky if
they were able to record just the syn¬
chronized dialogue of the players, with
perhaps an occasional sound effect
thrown in for good measure. There was
no attempt to use sound artistically or
for psychological effect. Its sole func¬
tion at that time was to replace the
spoken sub-title and to enable the audi¬
ence to actually hear what the players
were saying. Now it is a recognized fact
that aside from the actual presentation
of dialogue, sound contributes many
nuances of thought, action, and emotion
that could not be effectively portrayed
by the visual image alone.
In addition, sound correctly applied
adds emphasis to a dramatic sequence,
sharpening its effect on the audience and
enhancing the emotional experience of
“living” the story with the actors. In
this way sound complements the visual
pattern, plays along with it, adds to it.
There are also instances when it achieves
its force by deliberate contrast.
In terms of drama, sound has brought
greater realism to the screen. The sharp¬
ly overplayed gestures that characterized
acting in the silent film are no longer
necessary. For the actor, the entire re¬
sponsibility no longer lies in portraying
character by visual action alone. Nor, as
in the case of the stage actor, must he
rely principally upon his voice for char¬
acterization. In the sound motion pic¬
ture there is a normal balance between
the two. The actor is allowed a greater
amount of naturalness; he can effectively
underplay a scene knowing that the
sound camera will faithfully record the
subtle shadings of expression in both his
voice and his actions.
Just as sound and proper background
music can point up tragedy or melo¬
drama, so, too, it can heighten the rol¬
licking effect of comedy. It is an effec¬
tive tool in conveying the full meaning
of the story to be told.
In the Beginning
It was inevitable that sound should
come into its own. The silent picture, in
spite of all the nostalgia it evokes, was
an imcomplete and rather unnatural me¬
dium. Purists and cinema highbrows like
to maintain that the silent picture was
the quintessence of Art, but when these
same films are shown today they are, for
the most part, laughable because of the
exaggerated gestures, stilted dialogue
sub-titles, and generally makeshift tech¬
nique employed. Even when the silent
film, because of its novelty, was popular,
the absence of sound was evident.
Producers of that era tried to get
around the obvious lack of the aural ele¬
ment by suggesting sound in the pictures
that appeared on the screen. They had
their players actually speak lines before
the printed dialogue was flashed on the
screen. They tried to use shots that
would stimulate sound imagery, such as
waves crashing against rocks, babies
crying, etc. — but even these fell short.
From the audience standpoint, it was
not especially pleasant to sit in a silent
theater with only the coughing, sneez¬
ing, and belching of one’s fellow spec¬
tators to underscore the picture. Ex¬
hibitors, realizing this, began to present
some form of music as accompaniment
to the film. Either a piano was used, or
an organ, or in some cases a full orches¬
tra playing an especially composed back¬
ground musical score.
Acoustical engineers and recording ex¬
perts, well aware that some form of di¬
rect sound was needed, set to work on
the problem. Five years of intensive
technical research elapsed before “Don
Juan” made its vociferous appearance
on the screen. But revolutionary as that
High above the recording stage, in a sound-proof cubicle, a sound engineer twirls the dials of his mixing
console, blending the various channels of sound into a master track. Following the musical score in front of
him, he is able to give the proper sound emphasis to the recording of the orchestra below.
284 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946
285
A scene from "Don Juan", the first fully synchronized and recorded sound
feature, released by Warner Bros. August 6, 1926 at the Warner Theatre in
New York. Charles Butterworth and John Barrymore are shown in the roles
they portrayed. Overhead can be seen one of the very first models of re¬
cording microphones.
On the set of Warner Bros.' "Life With Father", director Michael Curtiz
and star Irene Dunne prepare for a "take" as the sound recordist tests the
voice level. Overhead can be seen one of the latest type dynamic micro¬
phones. .
picture was, it was only the beginning of
a long, painstaking effort to perfect the
sound medium.
The first days of the talking picture
were fraught with technical headaches.
First of all, the early microphones were
so sensitive that they could not be moved
easily. This meant that the actors had
to stay rooted in one place as they spoke
their lines, which in turn resulted in
some very stilted performances on the
screen. Then, too, the diaphragms used
in these microphones absorbed moisture
readily and had to be dehydrated after
every few takes, causing a great loss of
time on the set. The first sound was
recorded on wax discs which had to be
sent to San Francisco for processing,
and delays in shipment often meant
costly hold-ups in production.
Synchronous re-recording had not yet
been developed, which meant that dia¬
logue, music and sound effects had to
all be recorded at the same time. Nor
had pre-scoring yet been adopted as a
standard technique for recording musical
numbers. In a musical routine, filming
and scoring were done at the same time
and a cut could be made only at a nat¬
ural pause in the music. At best the
effect was rough and uneven.
It was later, when sound-on-film was
developed, that the talking picture as¬
sumed a real permanency. For in this
process sound and the visual image be¬
came fused together on the same piece
of film, and once synchronized, remained
in perfect register.
Sound-on-film not only solved the phy¬
sical problem of applying sound to the
picture, but stimulated advancement in
other technical phases of motion picture
production as well. Since it was now nec¬
essary for the film to be projected at 24
frames per second instead of 16 in order
for the sound to seem natural, faster
emulsions had to be developed. Also,
sound-on-film necessitated finer grain to
preserve the fidelity of the recording.
Following in close order came advances
in film processing and laboratory proce¬
dure. Set designing underwent revolu¬
tionary changes as designers found that
they now had to consider acoustics and
space for microphone booms. Camera
movement, too, became more fluid as
microphones were developed that could
be readily moved about the set.
Perhaps one of the most significant
changes took place in the field of set¬
lighting. The hot, harsh arc lights that
had been used almost exclusively for
illumination had to be discarded because
the spluttering and crackling of the car¬
bons interfered with sound recording.
Instead, the incandescent lamp was de¬
veloped to a high degree and resulted in
illumination that was silent and of a
better quality photographically.
The Technical Scope of Sound
Technically, the science of motion pic¬
ture sound has reached the point where
it can achieve any desired dramatic
quality. Modern devices can either im¬
prove dialogue or distort it for special
effect. Dialogue recorded in a straight¬
forward manner can be re-recorded to
simulate speech over the radio or tele¬
phone. Run through a reverberation
chamber it can give the illusion of words
spoken in a cave, a large hall, or a rock-
hewn canyon.
The pitch of a voice can be raised or
lowered by speeding up or slowing down
the sound track in re-recording. Occa¬
sionally sound tracks have been run back¬
wards in order to provide unusual sound
patterns for special effect.
With sound-on-film recording, un¬
wanted sounds can be eliminated by
snipping them out of the track, whereas
desired sounds can be added by splicing
them in. It is now standard procedure
to record the music, dialogue, and sound
effects of a scene each on its separate
track — later blending all three into a
properly balanced master track by re¬
recording. For instance, in a scene with
a night club locale, only the dialogue of
the principal players would be recorded
at the time the scene was shot. The
background noises, such as the chatter of
the crowd, rattling of silverware, etc.,
would be added later, as would the mood
music underscoring the scene.
At first there was a tendency to over¬
use background sound effects. For in¬
stance, in a night exterior scene, one
would hear crickets chirping, birds call¬
ing, wind howling, dogs barking,
branches rattling, and perhaps the dis¬
tant drip of somebody’s faucet. The
total effect was very much like the re¬
hearsal of a kiddies’ orchestra.
In real life, our auditory senses do not
sort and analyze every background noise
(Continued on Page 296)
286 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946 287
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Amateur Club of St. Louis
Leslie Easterday was elected president
of Amateur Motion Picture Club of St.
Louis, with annual banquet for installa¬
tion held at the De Soto Hotel on eve¬
ning of June 24th. Other officers include:
C. E. Talbott, first vice-president; Mar¬
tin Manoville, second vice - president;
George Hysore, secretary; Gordon Ruste-
meyer, treasurer, and W. R. Roysdon
and Werner Henze, directors.
Lon Wadman won the club’s Class A
best film contest with “This’ll Kill You.”
Class B award went to Frank and Dor¬
othy Sperka for “Museum of Memories.”
Feature of the annual banquet was
the stage show presented entirely by
members of the club. Wadman acted as
master of ceremonies, with specialties
presented featuring Frank Sperka at
the marimba; Dorothy Butteger, singer;
Werner Henze presenting several fast
character sketches; Louise Rassmussen
at the piano; rhythm taps by Harriett
Wadman, and a high kick waltz by Lo¬
retta Callahan.
San Francisco Cinema
Full length travelogue on “Guate¬
mala,” photographed in kodachrome by
C. E. Stahl was the main feature of the
July 16th meeting of Cinema Club of
San Francisco, held at the Women’s
City Club. Dinner for members in the
cafeteria preceded the session.
Tri-City Cinema Club
New officers to head the Tri-City Cin¬
ema Club (Davenport, Rock Island, Mo¬
line) for the coming year comprise:
president, Tom Griberg of Moline; first
vice-president, Carl T. Asmussen, Daven¬
port; second vice-president, L. E. Wass,
Davenport; secretary - treasurer, Dr.
H. H. Parsons, Moline; trustees, Mrs.
S. B. Snyder, Rock Island, Claire F.
Smick of Rock Island, and A. B. Corne¬
lius of Davenport. Elections were held
at the June 18th meeting held at Rock
Island.
First prize for the best movie shown
by a club member during the past year
was awarded Harry J. Lyete of Daven¬
port; with Tom Griberg receiving the
second prize, and Dr. Parsons the third
award. Tri-City will suspend meetings
for July and August, resuming in Sep¬
tember with session at Davenport.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Utah Cine Arts Club of Salt Lake
City held an outdoor picnic and meeting
on evening of July 17th at Box Elder
Flats and amphitheatre in Mill Creek
canyon. Highlight of the film program
was “Moon Over Sun Valley,” a koda¬
chrome subject shown through courtesy
of Union Pacific. Member films included
contributions by A1 Morton, Theo Mer¬
rill, LeRoy Hansen and A1 Londema.
Los Angeles Cinema Club
Lenses and optics provided the sub¬
jects of the July meeting of Los
Angeles Cinema Club, held in Lecture
Room of the Los Angeles County Mu¬
seum on evening of July 1st. Session
was strictly along technical and scien¬
tific lines for the benefit of members to.
improve knowledge of fundamentals for
better picture making.
Program included: film through cour¬
tesy of Bausch & Lomb Optical Co.,
“Better Vision — Elementary Optics”;
lecture on “Applied Optics From a Lay¬
man’s Point of View,” by Lorenzo Del
Riccio. Later, internationally recognized
inventor and developer of lenses, ex¬
plained the different types of lenses and
how each functioned; Ray Fernstrom,
A. S. C., talked on “Selection and Use
of Lenses for 16mm. Photography”;
while Max Bray of Bray Optical Co.
presented discussion on “Care of Lenses.”
Fred C. Ells talked on “Accessory
Lenses,” with a film demonstrating uses;
Bob Frazier of Acra Instruments Co.
offered his expert experience and infor¬
mation on lens coatings, with demonstra¬
tions of coatings, their uses and values.
Seattle Amateur Movie Club
Picnic of Seattle Amateur Movie Club
was tentatively set for the last Sunday
in July, with members slated to head for
Sunrise location on Mount Rainier. Regu¬
lar meeting on July 9th, held in Parish
Hall of Church of Epiphany, presented
film program featuring “Baie St. Paul,”
a 1944 best film by Frank Gunnell of
New York from library of ACL.
La Casa, Alhambra
July meeting of La Casa Movie Club
of Alhambra, California, was held at the
YMCA on the 15th, with film program
lined up by R. L. Johns comprising
“Skiing” (8mm.), by Johns; “Parade of
Beauties” (16mm.), by Ted Harper;
“Death Valley” (16mm.), by Frank
Knaus, and “Mexico — Tourist View¬
point” (35mm.), by Hugh S. Wallace.
August meeting of the club will be held
in the Los Angeles County Park at
Arcadia.
Los Angeles Eight
Regular monthly meeting of Los An¬
geles Eight MM. Club was held on July
9th at Bell & Howell Auditorium. Spe¬
cial feature of the evening was a com¬
plete demonstration of Ansco color films
for both movies and slides by a com¬
pany representative. William J. Millar
was elected to the board of governors to
fill vacancy created by absence of Claude
W. A. Cadarette for next two years.
Trophies for the club’s annual contest
were displayed, with president W. D.
Garlock urging members to make pic¬
tures for entries.
STAGE SHOW BY MEMBERS at annual banquet of Amateur Motion Picture Club of St. Louis. Harriet Wad¬
man, Loretta Callahan, (making entrance between curtains) and Lon Wadman.
288 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Extra “speed”. .. economy. .. brilliant results
Most home movies these days are made on Kodachrome Film.
And with good reason— full-color, real-color Kodachrome just
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But there are still plenty of chances for black-and-white
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Three big reasons why lots
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Cine-Kodak “Pan” Films
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Movies of nighttime sports . . . movies in dimly lighted
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control the light source — here are ’’naturals” for ”Super-X” or
"Super-XX,” Cine-Kodak’s extra-fast panchromatic movie films.
Economy is a second asset of Cine-Kodak "Pan” Films.
When color isn’t important, lots of movie makers switch to
black-and-white films. (And
black-and-white films can be
tinted or toned in a variety
of shades to avoid a jarring
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with Kodachrome. The
Kodak Data Book, Formu¬
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And h ere’s a tip to pass
In industrial movie making, the extra
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black-and-white film are sometimes
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along to some of your less
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New GE Exposure Meter
Production of a modified form of the
General Electric DW-58 exposure meter,
which incorporates the new American
Standards Association (ASA) exposure-
index numbers, has been announced by
the Meter and Instrument Division of
the General Electric Company.
General Electric has made this change
in the interest of standardization and is
adopting the new, improved film-rating
system developed by the American
Standards Association. This system is
also being adopted by all the nation’s
leading film manufacturers for all
classes of users, and it was used by all
photo units of both the Army and the
Navy during the war.
The numbers in the ASA system are
so arranged that they are close enough
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model G-E exposure meters with the
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the DW-58 meter recently announced by
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New Filmosound Releases
The following current 16mm. film re¬
leases are available from the Bell &
Howell Filmosound Library:
Educational
The Unseen Power (10 mins.)
New two-reel version of Paul Roth’s
documentary “Face of Britain,” especial¬
ly prepared for church and school by
the Religious Film Society. Release
date: November 1, 1946.
Recreational
Night Club Girl (Universal) (6 reels)
Title is misleading. Actually a homey
story of farm kids who crash Hollywood
on the strength of their corn chowder
rather than on their not-too-bad song
and dance act. (Vivian Austin, Edward
Norris, Maxie Rosenbloom). Available
from July 5, 1946, for approved non¬
theatrical audiences.
The Suspect (Universal) (9 reels)
One of the greatest human character
studies ever seen on the screen. Kindly
shopkeeper kills two people whom the
world could spare, then surrenders.
(Charles Laughton, Ella Raines, Rosa¬
lind Ivan). Available from July 26,
1946, for approved non-theatrical audi¬
ences.
DuPont Promotes Executives
Arthur H. Burkhardt has been ap¬
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ett assistant manager, of the DuPont
Photo Products plant at Parlin, N. J.
Burkhardt succeeds the late Karl R.
Myers as plant manager. Both officials
have been with the company for many
years.
NEW . . .
Self-Adjusting
Boom Light
An improved photographers’ boom
light which can be set to any angle
without manipulating the thumbscrew
at the balance point is announced by
Bardwell and McAlister of Hollywood,
manufacturers of photographic lighting
equipment for motion pictures — and pro¬
fessional photographers.
A thrust bearing and fibre friction
disc — No. 2- — hold the boom firmly in any
position after it has been tilted. The
standard does not have to be lowered
¥
to reach the balance point and hours
of productive time are saved.
The boom is equipped with a B & M
Baby Keg-Lite, a spot widely used by
the motion picture industry throughout
the world. This light is so bracketted
that once adjusted, it maintains the same
angle regardless of any position of the
Boom up to 45 degrees from horizontal.
This is the latest addition to a com¬
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t
i
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290 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946
291
Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 279)
But it is not as simple as that. There
are other elements of dramatic construc¬
tion that must be incorporated into a
successful screenplay.
Firstly, the film should begin in an
active key — one that is lively, dramatic,
interesting, or rich in suspense. Avoid
too leisurely an opening; it tends to lull
the audience into an indifferent frame of
mind, locale, introduce the main charac¬
ters, and give some explanation of the
basic situation. Suspense, as we have
said, is a fine thing — but an audience re¬
quires certain explanations; it does not
relish being left up in the air.
Similarly, an opening can be too dra¬
matic or lively. It may actually be more
exciting than anything that follows, so
that the rest of the film becomes dull
anti-climax. The ideal script is so ar¬
ranged that each sequence builds higher
than the last. In this way there is an
overall rise in audience-interest ending
with the last or climatic sequence, which
should actually be the highest point of
action in the film.
In the same way each sequence builds
to its own sub-climax before going on to
treat a diffei’ent phase of the story.
Build up to your best scenes carefully;
create a setting, so that when these
scenes appear on the screen they will
seem to come as a logical climax, rather
than merely spectacular shots that have
been thrown in for effect.
Obviously, a script cannot continue to
build in a perfectly straight line. A dia¬
gram of the ideal script would look more
like a mountain range with each climatic
peak rising higher than the last. Between
each of these peaks there is a “lull” or
temporary letdown in dramatic intensity.
These lulls are necessary in order to give
the audience a chance to “catch its
breath,” psychologically speaking. They
also provide light and shade in the
changing pattern of the story.
The ending of the screen story also re¬
quires special attention. It is here that
all the loose ends of the narrative are
tied snugly together and formed into a
final resolution. The audience should not
be left hanging in the air — rather, it
should experience a feeling of satisfac¬
tion and finality at the close of the film.
Once the ending of the film has been ini¬
tiated, the story should move steadily
forward to the final fade-out, not paus¬
ing to go off on tangents or involved
explanation. Hit your audience with the
final climax, leave them glowing in re¬
action to it, then speedily conclude your
screen story.
The basic element of the dramatic
screenplay is conflict. Without a certain
opposition of characters and elements
there can be no drama. In other types
of films, comparison and contrast may
take the place of actual conflict. But it
is a proven fact that an audience will
soon tire of a screen story that runs too
smoothly.
Another factor of prime importance is
motivation. An audience requires a rea¬
son or explanation for everything that
happens on the screen. The audience
wants to know why a character acts
thus or so. There must be a reason be¬
hind every action. The efficient script¬
writer makes these explanations logically
during the exposition of the story.
Reaction shots are close-ups of crowds
or individuals indicating their reactions
to whatever situation is taking place.
These shots are extremely valuable in
that they stimulate human interest and
bring the audience closer into the story;
the audience will tend to react in the
same way as the character shown and
will more nearly “feel” the impact of
the screen situation. It is well to write
in suitable reaction shots for this reason,
as well as for variety, pace, and tempo.
Parallel action is a constructive device
which indicates several threads of action
taking place at the same time and is
accomplished by repeated cutting back
and forth from one situation to the
other. Such a device, if well-used, is very
effective in building suspense.
The most important thing for the
script-writer to learn in dramatic con¬
struction is what to leave out. Anything
that does not contribute to the atmos¬
phere, mood, or action of the story should
be deleted. Cut out the “deadwood” that
clutters up the script, and the salient
facts will stand out much more effec¬
tively.
Planning Individual Scenes
In planning separate scenes of the
script, variety of “point of view” is es¬
sential. By point of view we mean cam¬
era angle and image size, both of which
are motivated by the subject matter of
the scene. There should always be a
reason why a certain angle or composi¬
tion is used; a shot should never be just
thrown into the script. Composition de¬
pends upon the placement of the camera
in relation to the elements within the
scene.
Remember that the audience sees only
as much of a situation as the camera is
willing to show. For this reason, the
general locale should be well-established
at the beginning and re-established at
other points in the story so that the
audience will not become confused.
Image size is a relative term. Obvi¬
ously a close-up of a grain of wheat
would be executed differently from a
close-up of the Empire State Building.
For this reason we can describe the
various image sizes only in rather gen¬
eral terms.
Big Close-up (sometimes called Insert)
— A very large close-up of an object
filling the screen. When the subject is a
face, the frame cuts at the chin and at
the top of the head, and may even show
just a portion of the face, such as the
eyes or mouth. This is a highly dramatic
shot when correctly used.
Close-up (sometimes called Close shot)
— A conventional shot cutting from the
top of the shoulders to a few inches
above the head when the subject is a
person. Actually the close-up is the most
emphatic of all shots. It focuses atten¬
tion down to a sharp point and should
be used where some small action or ex¬
pression is to be pointed up dramatically.
Two-shot — As the name implies, this
shot is used to show two people together
in a scene from a rather close distance.
The frame cuts them about from the
level of the elbows to a few inches above
the head.
Medium shot — This shot shows objects
or people from a medium distance, giving
some idea of the background also. It is
about right for scenes showing three
people together, cutting them about at
the knee. It is a tendency for novice
movie-makers to use an overabundance
of medium shots, so that their films
suffer from “medium-itis.” Medium shots
should be alternated with long shots and
close-ups.
Long shot (sometimes called full shot)
— This is a broad term and may mean
anything from an overall view of a group
of people to a panoramic shot of vast
areas of terrain with great masses of
people.
Obviously there are many other types
of scenes falling between those listed
above, but these are the most important
standard shots and variations can easily
be made from them.
Transition Devices
As we have said in the section on con¬
tinuity, there should be an inter-relation
between separate scenes and sequences.
A film does not sharply jump from one
sequence to another. Rather, the transi¬
tion is made smoothly by means of vari¬
ous devices such as: fade-in and fade-
out, cut, dissolve, and wipe.
The fade-in starts with a black screen
upon which the image gradually appears.
This device is used to begin a sequence.
The fade-out reverses this process,
with the image gradually disappearing
until the screen is black. It is used to
end a sequence and carries with it an air
of finality, so that great jumps in time,
place and action can then be made.
The cut is a simple break in subject
matter and provides a quick shift from
one scene to another without any appar¬
ent interruption to the sense of the se¬
quence. It is made simply by splicing the
end of one scene to the beginning of the
next. It is considered bad technique to
cut from a moving camera shot to a
static shot.
The dissolve is a device in which one
scene is gradually faded out while the
next scene fades in over it, so that they
seem to blend one into the other. It im¬
plies a strong sense of connection be¬
tween the two scenes, but usually ac¬
counts for a shift in time, place, or
action. It is smoother than a cut and
less definite than a fade, but should not
be used as a substitute for either one.
It is a highly effective transition device
but loses its effectiveness if used too fre¬
quently.
The wipe is a trick effect in which one
scene seems literally to push or wipe the
other from the screen. It is not too wide¬
ly used in the photoplay, but is some¬
times effective in novelty shorts or docu¬
mentary films.
Format of the Script
We shall not go too deeply into detail
as to the actual format of the script, as
this form varies with the type of film
(Continued on Page 295)
292 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Not so long ago
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Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 275)
the set and sprayed through jets. It
took weeks of experimentation and a lot
of ingenuity on the part of Bitzer before
the idea became a reality. But when it
did something had been added to the
technical annals of motion pictures.
When Griffith made “America,” Vince,
in charge of the second camera by then,
conceived the idea of following the ac¬
tion of Paul Revere’s ride with an Ake-
ley camera. As the horse galloped
across the green New England fields and
jumped the low stone walls there were
problems still to be solved that today’s
cameraman takes in his stride. But that
idea also became a reality and some¬
thing else had been added.
Vince’s career as a cameraman has
been nothing if not exciting. After leav¬
ing Griffith he worked for Pathe and
Fox as a newsreel cameraman covering
such headline events as the Lindbergh
trial, the crash of the Shenandoah, some
of the most spectacular fires in the his¬
tory of the country, and some of its
most famous gangster crimes. Acting
on a tip, Vince was there with his cam¬
era when Legs Diamond was shot. And
again, he was in on the raid that re¬
sulted in the capture of Waxey Gordon.
In 1926 he shot the first big football
game ever photographed with synchro¬
nous sound, the Army- Yale game, and
it was accomplished with a single-system
camera converted from a Bell & Howell
that required 400 volts of B batteries to
run it, was powered by a motor that
weighed twenty-five pounds, and a fly¬
wheel on the camera that weighed over
eight pounds. To ensurse as much silence
as possible the drive belts were made of
cotton, and the shutter was an optical
glass disc opaqued except for the lens
aperture. The wiring was such that the
cameraman was constantly in danger of
electrocution.
When, in the following year, Vince
brought this camera to Hollywood, it
was the first one the town had seen.
That is, it was the first one the select
few in town had seen, because the crew
was housed in a special bungalow on the
Fox lot and their equipment lodged in
a garage with a 24-hour a day guard.
But Mary Pickford, Doug Fairbanks
and Charlie Chaplin, among a few
others, expressed an interest and secured
permission to look it over. It was part
of Vince’s job to do the demonstrating,
and part of his demonstration was to
turn the camera on the notables — thus
securing the first sound-on-film footage
of some of the great names in the in¬
dustry.
In 1933 Vince returned to New York
to take charge of . the photographic de¬
partment of Fox East Coast studios.
Among his other assignments he shot
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the tests that started any number of to¬
day’s stars on their road to cinematic
fame, among them Tyrone Power, Vir¬
ginia Fields, Elisha Cooke Jr., Margery
Main, Eve Arden and Don Ameche.
When he returned to Hollywood, Vince
became an operative and second unit
cameraman for the opportunity to work
on such pictures as “That Hamilton
Woman” and “Jungle Book” for Korda,
and “Gone With the Wind” and “Re¬
becca” for Selznick.
With the best instincts of a showman
and the feeling as well as the skill of
an artist, he relished the weeks of work
spent on the naval battle scenes for
“That Hamilton Woman,” and appre¬
ciated that the efforts involved in those
complicated miniatures presented unique
opportunities to add to his store of ex¬
perience. And there was that pleasant
glow that comes from pride in accom¬
plishment with the knowledge that he
had helped to create, after weeks of pa¬
tient waiting for the proper combination
of weather, that powerful scene in “Gone
With the Wind,” in which Scarlett, walk¬
ing into the sunrise, across the scorched
earth of her estate, swears eternal ven¬
geance.
As a member of the Naval Reserve,
Vince was in uniform shortly before the
beginning- of hostilities. And with rare
good judgment was assigned where his
talents would be most useful, the Motion
Picture Division of the Bureau of Aero¬
nautics. Under his direction a film studio
was built for the express purpose of
making technical training pictures of a
highly secret nature. This studio, on
Vine Street in Hollywood, the headquar¬
ters of the Naval Photographic Unit in
Hollywood, became familiarly known as
the Vine Street Pier.
Since his return from the Service, Vin¬
cent Farrar has piled up an impressive
list of pictures: two of the “Charlie
Chan” series, the second unit work on
the Technicolor “Bandit of Sherwood
Forest,” “Two Fisted Stranger,” “Down
Missouri Way,” “Queen of Burlesque,”
and recently concluded “The Windjam¬
mer,” Jerry Fairbanks’ first feature
length picture which stars Bob Burns
and makes use of the technique that has
made the same producer’s “Speaking of
Animals” series so immensely popular.
Most of these pictures were made on
modest budgets which means, of course,
that the cameraman was limited in the
amount of time he could spend in setting
up for, and composing each shot, a con¬
dition that calls for a cameraman with
the utmost skill and a perfect under¬
standing of his craft if the picture is to
finish on time and not suffer photo¬
graphically.
That each one of these pictures was
considerably enhanced by the deft and
imaginative carema work, which in two
instances at least lifted the offerings
way out of their class and received criti¬
cal acclaim generally reserved for more
expensive productions, is a tribute to a
man whose artistry and imagination is
balanced by a practical craftsmanship
and whose career has encompassed the
life of the motion picture industry.
294 August, 1946 ® American Cinematographer
Bell and Howell Buys
Lincolnwood Plant
Purchase of the $2,225,000 Lincoln-
wood plant on McCormick Rd., Chicago,
from the Reconstruction Finance Corp.,
and the awarding of contracts for con¬
siderable new construction at Lincoln-
wood have been announced by President
J. H. McNabb of the Bell & Howell Com¬
pany, pioneers and manufacturers in the
amateur and professional motion pic¬
ture equipment fields.
One of the most modern industrial es¬
tablishments in the Middle West, the
three-story E-shaped Lincolnwood plant
is of tan brick and glass block construc¬
tion, has 220,000 square feet of floor
space, and is air-conditioned throughout.
The latest methods of dust-control, vital
in the precision manufacture and as¬
sembly of lenses and movie equipment,
are employed here.
Leased from the Defense Plant Cor¬
poration late in 1942, the building was
the setting for a noteworthy — and suc¬
cessful — experiment in optical manu¬
facture. Spurred by urgent government
orders for military fire-control instru¬
ments, the company achieved mass pro¬
duction of critical military lenses and
prisms within a few months. The com¬
plex and hitherto mysterious business of
making precision optics was broken
down into several operations, groups of
untrained personnel were schooled in one
or two of these operations, and a stream
of tank telescopes and naval fire-control
instruments began to flow out of the
north wing of this “plant in the prairie’’
before the building’s wiring was com¬
pleted or the windows were all installed.
The original plant now houses Bell &
Howell’s optical, electronic, metallurgi¬
cal, chemical, and mechanical engineer¬
ing laboratories, in addition to assembly
departments, optical production, and the
company’s general offices. Last October
the concern completed and occupied an¬
other Lincolnwood structure having 24,-
000 square feet of floor space, wherein
optical glass is moulded and annealed
and in which warehouse facilities are
afforded for the storage of delicate opti¬
cal equipment.
Additional Expansion Begun
Construction of still another Lincoln¬
wood building, to contain 86,000 square
feet of floor space, already has begun,
and company officials expect occupancy
by mid-summer of 1946. Located on a
recently-purchased 41-acre tract adjoin¬
ing present facilities, the new plant is
designed especially to house the firm’s
metal-plating, polishing, and case-fabri¬
cating departments.
Scheib With Telefilm
Harold A. Scheib, supervisor of ani¬
mation department of AAF First Motion
Picture Unit during the war, and pre¬
viously with Wilding Pictures, has been
appointed head of the 16mm. special
effects department of Telefilm Studios in
Hollywood.
Evolution of Cameras
(Continued from Page 277)
sound films was the lighting problem,
Marley observed. “At first, before the
technique of cutting sound as it is prac¬
ticed today was perfected, three — and
sometimes as many as six cameras were
used at one time. It was certain that
there would always be a long shot cam¬
era, a medium shot camera, and one for
close shots.
“The difference in quality of the long
and short focus lenses was quite appar¬
ent,” said Pev, “and we could not light
for one set-up at a time. As a result, all
the shots suffered in both angle and
quality.
Blending the Mike
Sid Hickox, A.S.C., who has been with
Warners for a quarter century, recalls the
initial sound production problems of the
immobile microphone. “We’d cover the
mike with a flat board and call in a
standby painter,” he stated. “As we cam¬
eramen would look through our ‘brown
glass’ we would direct the painter on his
colors and highlights to blend the board
with any wall or drape. After that, the
actors would have to stay in place as
though they were nailed to the floor,
since the mike could not follow them
around the set.”
Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 292)
being made. A few general points, how¬
ever, may prove helpful.
Each individual scene should be num¬
bered, and the heading should include
the locale, whether the scene is interior
or exterior, time of day, image size and
angle, and any other technical data
necessary. Example: SCENE 28 — IN¬
TERIOR MOUNTAIN CABIN— NIGHT
—MEDIUM SHOT— SHOOTING TO¬
WARD FIREPLACE.
The action is then described in detail,
with all camera directions set off in capi¬
tal letters. If it is a direct sound picture
the dialogue also appears headed by the
speaker’s name. Blocks of type describ¬
ing action are usually indented about five
spaces closer than blocks of dialogue,
so as to clearly differentiate between
them.
If the picture is to be narrated, the
page is divided into two parts with
action appearing on the left half of the
page, and the descriptive narration ap¬
pearing opposite it on the right.
Scenes, when typed in screenplay form,
should not be crowded too tightly to¬
gether. Leave margins and enough white
space between scenes (4 to 6 typewritten
lines) for notations and inevitable re¬
visions to be made directly on the script.
The whole script should be bound or
stapled together with a sturdy cover that
will permit a great deal of handling.
We have discussed the script and its
use as the blueprint of the film. We are
now ready to go on to the next phase,
which is the active planning of the pro¬
duction itself.
Next Issue: Production Planning.
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946
295
Sound and Visual Image
(Continued from Page 286)
that is present in a given atmosphere —
our receptivity is not that acute. Rather,
we tend to notice and react to just the
more dominant sounds of the particular
situation. Applying this principle to
sound recording, modern engineers are
now more selective in providing effects
for sound backgrounds.
Psychological Role of Sound
As a complement to the visual image,
sound produces its greatest psychological
impact upon the audience by means of
association of ideas. In real life, if we
hear the sound of an airplane motor,
our minds tend to create a picture of
the plane itself. Similarly, on the screen
a sound background of, let us say, fac¬
tory sounds will provide a factory at¬
mosphere even if only a little corner of
a workshop is shown visually.
When closely co-ordinated with a vis¬
ual pattern of action, proper sound and
music can produce an emotional pull
amounting almost to pain. In the same
way, comedy can be sharpened to a hilar¬
ious degree.
Sound and the visual image should
work together so that each gains quality
from the other. But in any given scene,
one or the other should dominate. If the
sound and the picture are of equal im¬
portance, they will fight with each other
for the audience’s attention, and the em¬
phasis will be lost. It is a common fault
even today that background music is
sometimes recorded so loudly that it not
only drowns out the dialogue, but weak¬
ens the power of the visual action as
well.
There are situations when the picture
rightfully becomes subordinate to off¬
screen sounds, and here the audiences’
imagination is brought into play — often
very forcefully. A murder, for instance,
can be strikingly suggested by off-screen
sounds while the camera remains on
some neutral segment of the scene, show¬
ing none of the actual gruesome details.
Sound can also do much to set the
mood of a locale. The film, “The Letter,”
for example, begins with a long estab¬
lishing dolly shot of a rubber plantation.
As the camera moves slowly about the
set, we hear first the musical dripping of
rubber sap from the trees, then the cries
of tropical birds, the mumble of native
voices, and finally the plunking discord
of jungle musical instruments. The total
effect is a sound tapestry that clothes and
enriches the visual picture.
The element of contrast is important in
drama, and there are times when sound
can be made to contrast most effectively
with what is being shown on the screen.
In “This Gun for Hire” a cold-blooded
killer methodically cleans his gun for a
murder while a gramaphone blares rau¬
cous jazz. In “Dark Victory,” the main
character’s blindness is brought into
sharp relief by the contrast of happy
children’s voices laughing and shouting
in the background. In “Algiers” a cring¬
ing stool-pigeon is killed to the jangling
accompaniment of a player piano. In
each of these cases the sound contrast
added drama to the scene.
Very often sound produces a powerful
bridge between sequences. In the British
film, “The 39 Steps,” a woman blunders
into a room and finds a corpse on the
floor. She opens her mouth to scream,
and we hear the high-pitched screech of
a train whistle as the scene cuts to a
train crashing out of a tunnel.
A sequence from the film, “Mildred
Pierce,” illustrates perfectly how sound
can be used to build suspense. At the be¬
ginning of the picture the main charac¬
ter, suspected of murder, is brought to
police headquarters and made to wait in
an ante-room. She is nervous and dis¬
traught; she has even contemplated sui¬
cide. Now she sits in the police station
waiting to face a hostile detective.
In this sequence there is very little
dialogue, but a clock can be heard tick¬
ing then a telephone jangles, a police¬
man coughs, a paper rattles. All these
sounds rip through the stillness of the
room, tearing at the woman’s nerves.
Actually, the sounds were recorded to an
exaggerated loudness and in a slightly
distorted pitch to suggest how inconse¬
quential noises might grate on the
nerves of a person in such a predica¬
ment. The whole effect was quite power¬
ful dramatically.
Very often a steady, rhythmic pattern
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296 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
of sound underscoring a scene can build
suspense and keep an audience recep¬
tively alert. Alfred Hitchcock, the British
“Master of Suspense,” likes to use the
steady clicking of train wheels on tracks
to achieve just such mood. His spy-
thriller, “The Lady Vanishes,” takes
place almost entirely on a train and illus¬
trates how sound can sub-consciously set
the pace for drama.
Mr. Hitchcock also knows how to use
silence effectively. His film, “Lifeboat,”
had no musical underscoring except for
the titles. The dreadful stillness of the
calm sea was sharply brought out by the
deliberate avoidance of all but essential
action sounds. Silence also served to
point up another film, “The Life of
Beethoven,” which was released several
years ago. In one sequence a storm rages
outside while the composer sits working
at his piano. The crash of thunder and
the liquid hammering of the rain fight
to overwhelm the equally tempestuous
piano music. Suddenly all sound ceases,
and we see in close-up the composer’s
stunned reaction as he realizes that he
has gone deaf.
Sound Research Continues
Behind the scenes of cinema sound de¬
velopment, one can find a corps of engi¬
neers still working to improve the voice
of the motion picture just as they have
been working for the past twenty years.
There have been many important tech¬
nical developments during that time, few
of which the general audience would rec¬
ognize by name. But that same audience
responds to the clearer, more faithful
quality of sound that these improvements
have made possible.
One of the foremost technical strides
was the development of the dynamic
microphone, a rugged, versatile, mech¬
anical “ear” that can be trundled freely
about the set, recording sound with a
fidelity and sensitivity which even the
human ear cannot achieve. Another im¬
portant accomplishment was the elimina¬
tion of surface noises which sounded like
steam escaping or eggs frying and cloud¬
ed the dialogue.
Push-pull recording opened up new
technical pathways, as did the perfection
of monochromatic light for recording.
Previously, the various rays of light
present in the recording lamp came to a
focus in varying layers of the emulsion
due to a difference in wave length. The
result was a fuzzy quality of sound.
Monochromatic light rays, however, all
come into focus at the same layer of
emulsion, thus guaranteeing a sharper
sound recording.
Multiple-channel recording made it
possible for music, singing, and dialogue
each to be recorded separately and later
blended into perfect balance. This, in
8
Enlarged
TO
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Reduced
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Special Motion Picture Printing
164 NORTH WACKER DRIVE
CHICAGO 6, ILL.
turn, led to the development of the two-
way speaker system in theaters : one
speaker for the high frequencies, and
one for the low ones.
Experimentation in the field continues,
with each major studio operating its own
sound research laboratory. The results
are passed on to help make motion pic¬
tures more real and more enjoyable to
watch. At this moment, wire recording
is being introduced as a compact, simple,
and portable means of recording on-the-
spot sound effects. It is just one of the
many new sound developments to which
we may look forward.
Kreuzer Promoted by RCA
Barton Kreuzer has been promoted to
post of manager of RCA film recording
activities, according to company an¬
nouncement. Veteran of nearly 20 years
on the RCA sound engineering staff,
Kreuzer headed RCA sound recording at
the Hollywood plant for a long period.
Waller Heads B&H Branch
J. V. Waller has been appointed man¬
ager of the Washington branch of Bell
&l Howell following his return to the com¬
pany after war service with the Navy.
MANAGER- COLOR PROCESSING LARORATORY
Age 28-45, must have ability to organize anti supervise the work
in a photo-finishing laboratory. B.S. degree in Chemistry or Chemi¬
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an adequate knowledge of still and motion picture developing
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be familiar with the methods used in operating large photo-finish¬
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• AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER •
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* Linear response makes processing easier
especially on density recordings.
*Flat frequency response.
* Requires only 300 milliwatts for full modu¬
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Can be biased for noise reduction.
* Compact and light weight.
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gib permit track position adjustment.
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MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON-FILM
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American Cinematographer • August, 1946
297
GENERAL PRECISION RESEARCH FOR AMPRO
Harry Monson, Vice-President and
Sales Manager of Ampro, reports en¬
thusiastically, that they are ready to take
advantage of the work of the leading
physicists and engineers who are now on
the laboratory staff of the new General
Precision Equipment Research and De-
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
PRECISION PHOTO LENSES
An American Product Since 1899
46 YEARS IN THE FRONT LINE OF
PHOTO-OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
Because of their excellence in performance in all
branches of photography, in war or peace, the
demand for them has tremendously increased.
It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
backlog of orders, for so many different types
and sizes, and build up our war-depleted stock
for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest possible deliv¬
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dealer your order for the lens you have selected.
You will be repaid for your patience manifold
with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
REMEMBER:
For making first-class pictures, a
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
lens will give you a lifetime of pleasure
velopment Laboratory, establishment of
which was announced recently by Earle
G. Hines, President of General Precision
Equipment Corporation.
Dr. R. L. Garman will head the staff
and is the same Dr. Garman who has con¬
tributed so much to radar trainer design
for N.D.R.C. and who has been respon¬
sible for the design of more than twenty
systems in that field. Dr. Garman has
authored many publications as well as co¬
authored the book “Experimental Elec¬
tronics.”
Dr. M. E. Droz is also a staff member,
probably better known for his service at
the Radiation Laboratory of M. I. T. on
Radar Trainer problems which included
electrical and mechanical computers,
pulse circuits, supersonics in both air and
water.
Also assigned as Chief Engineers of
projects are Mr. M. B. Karelitz, Dr. F.
B. Berger, Mr. R. W. Lee, and Mr. G. T.
Lorance. Dr. Garman lists an additional
nineteen physicists and engineers already
assigned to various departments of re¬
search and development for the Pleasant-
ville, New York, activity.
Mr. Monson states, “Ampro and other
subsidiaries of General Precision Corpo¬
ration, will have complete access to the
services of these physicists and engineers
and to the research and development car¬
ried on by the staff in this great new
laboratory.
“We already have a fine engineering
staff, which the popularity and demand
for Ampro conclusively proves. In addi¬
tion. Ampro will be in a position to
employ such scientific accomplishments
which emanate from the Laboratory,
passing them on to dealers and con¬
sumers. Here is an activity which we
frankly could not support ourselves and
we doubt that any single manufacturer
of 16mm. projectors could possibly af¬
ford to maintain.”
Film Council Formed by
16mm. Industry
Formation of the Film Council of
America, in the interests of the 16mm.
industry, by progressive organizations
in the non-theatrical and educational film
field was announced recently. Mr. C. R.
Reagan, Dallas, Texas, was made presi¬
dent.
Speaking on objectives of the Council,
Mr. Thomas J. Brandon, of New York,
stressed the necessity for continued har¬
mony between the commercial and educa¬
tional branches of the 16mm. industry
and outlined the following seven-point
program :
1. To form committees in 26 key
cities designed to organize municipal
groups.
2. To establish a project to document
the work of 16mm. films during the war.
3. To set up annual awards for out¬
standing work done in the 16mm. field.
4. To foster increased research and
development.
5. To stimulate adult education through
16mm. films.
6. To work more closely with consum¬
er groups, such as the American Legion
and Parent Teacher Associations.
7. To continue to cooperate with gov¬
ernment agencies, and to urge the agen¬
cies to ask the industry to help solve
their film distribution problems.
RCA Increases 16mm.
Production
Increasing production facilities for
16mm. sound film equipment, RCA has
transferred activities of this division
from the Indianapolis plant to Camden,
N. J. A complete line of 16mm. sound
film projector models will be marketed,
according to company announcement.
The C. P. GOERZ AMERICAN
OPTICAL COMPANY
OFFICE AND FACTORY
317 East 34th St., New York 16, N. Y.
AC-8
Make 'em Move!
“Make your movie, move, Man! You’re
not hanging it on a wall — you’re running
it through a projector!” This most per¬
tinent advice is clipped from the monthly
bulletin of New York Eight MM. Motion
Picture Club and passed along for the
benefit of amateur movie makers.
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Day With Victor
Animatograph
Lewis H. Day has been appointed pub¬
lic relations director for Victor Animato¬
graph Corporation, according to an¬
nouncement by executive vice president
S. G. Rose. Day’s duties will include
direction of the company’s advertising
and promotional programs in addition to
public relations activities.
L^TERS^
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1927 WEST 78™ ST. LOS ANGELES. CAt-
298 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Curtiss-Wright Corp. Buys
Victor Animatograph
Victor Animatograph Corporation,
one of the largest manufacturers of
16 mm. motion picture projectors, cam¬
eras and allied equipment, has been
purchased outright by the Curtiss-
Wright Corporation, a leader in the air¬
craft industry.
Alexander F. Victor, president and
founder of the company bearing his
name, will continue as director of engi¬
neering activities; while executive vice-
president Samuel G. Rose will remain
with the organization as business ad¬
ministrator. Plant and main offices of
Victor, together with personnel, will
continue to be maintained at Davenport,
Iowa. Deal is strictly an outright pur¬
chase of the company; although natur¬
ally the latter will have access contin¬
ually to the counsel of the research and
engineering staff of Curtiss-Wright for
improvement of the Victor product.
Mr. Victor, the pioneer in designing
and perfecting projection equipment
specifically for the fields of visual edu¬
cation and non-theatrical entertainment,
established the company in 1910 with
the aid of financing by Davenport busi¬
ness men. From original start in small
quarters and five employees, the corpo¬
ration steadily grew until today it em¬
ploys 500 in its large plant. Victor con¬
tinually pressed for safety film stand¬
ard, which eventuated in the develop¬
ment of 16 mm. non-inflammable film
and the invention, design and sale of
the first 16 mm. projector in 1923. Both
Mr. Victor and Mr. Rose are enthusias¬
tic over the new ownership of the com¬
pany by Curtiss-Wright, which pres-
sages even greater progress in the
future.
Semi-Annual SMPE
Convention in Hollywood
October 21-25
Society of Motion Picture Engineers
will hold its semi-annual convention in
Hollywood at the Roosevelt hotel for five
day period of October 21st to 25th. Tech¬
nical sessions on new equipment and
practices in motion picture production
are expected to bring out a particularly
large group of papers to eventuate in
one of the most successful meetings in
the history of the organization.
Howard Marx Joins Ampro
Howard Marx, who, prior to recent
service in the Navy, was associated in
the 35 mm. division of the film industry,
has joined Ampro as assistant to the
sales manager.
Sievert Back With B&H
R. E. Sievert, after three years’ serv¬
ice in the Navy, has resumed his post
as western division manager of the
Bell & Howell Filmosound Library in
Hollywood. Enlisting in 1942, Sievert
was assigned to the Bureau of Aeronau¬
tics, taking charge of production and
training film libraries.
San Francisco Westwood
Talk on “Opticoating of Lenses” by
R. C. MacCollister featured the June
28th meeting of Westwood Movie Club
of San Francisco, held at St. Francis
Community Hall. Film program of the
evening included: “Peonies,” by Ed Sar¬
gent; “Yosemite Falls,” by Walter John¬
son; “The Pinnacles,” by Ray Luck;
“What’s It at Who’sits,” by Luck, and
“Coffee and Doughnuts,” by Celeste
Swanson.
Members Don Campbell and Eric Un¬
mack presided as instructors at a spe¬
cial informative meeting of the club on
July 10th, when various phases of
movie making will be explained to mem¬
bers. Doc Gobar, as contest chairman,
discloses that annual club contest films
will be shown for selection on November
29th. There will be awards for both the
8 and 16mm. classes.
New York Eight
July meeting of New York Eight MM.
Motion Picture Club was held on eve¬
ning of the 15th at the Hotel Pennsyl¬
vania. Program featured demonstration
of the De Jur Eight projector; an ex¬
hibition of kodachrome slides taken by
Victor Ancona on a Mexican trip; and
Dr. Browne’s “Calling Dr. Kildare,”
which was first prize winner in the re¬
cent Metropolitan novice contest. Terry
Manos, another member, won third place
in the Met contest.
SPECIAL
35mm. High Speed Zeiss Ikon, 2000
frame per second cameras, 10 separate
lenses, finder, sunshade, complete.
Eyemo, Cameras, Model 71, 71 K, 7IC,
7 1 Q, complete. 6" Eyemax F4.5 in 'C'
mount, $65.00 each. 35mm. Bausch &
Lomb F3. in 'C' mount, $85.00.
Arriflex, 200 foot and 1000 foot capacity
Cinephon Cameras with Astro F2.3 Pan
Tach Lenses, complete.
Complete unit for 16mm. Sound Double
System Filming. Maurer recorder, cam¬
era, dolly, boom, blimp.
Stock of fast motion picture lenses.
Sound and silent projectors.
*****
WE BUY— TRADE— REPAIR— DESIGN
16 AND 35MM EQUIPMENT
Send For List Now in Preparation
CAMERA MART
70 West 45th St., New York 19, New York
Cable: CAMERAMART
Don't Forget to Buy
CHRISTMAS SEALS
This Year
FOR LIGHT ON EASTERN PRODUCTION --
C. ROSS
For Lighting Equipment
As sol© distributors East of the Mississippi we carry the full and
complete line of latest-type Inkie and H.I.-Arc equipment
manufactured by
MOLE-RICHARDSON, Inc.
Hollywood - California
Your requirements for interior or exterior locations taken care
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RENTALS SALES SERVICE
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CHARLES ROSS, Inc.
333 West 52nd St., New York, N.Y. Phones: Circle 6-5470-1
American Cinematographer • August, 1946
299
Current Assignments of A S. C. Members
As this issue of American Cinematog¬
rapher goes to press, assignments of
A. S. C. members as Directors of Pho¬
tography on current productions shoot¬
ing in the Hollywood studios are as
follows:
Columbia
Rudy Mate, ‘‘Down to Earth” (Techni¬
color), with Rita Hayworth, Larry
Parks, Marc Platt, Edward Everett
Horton and James Gleason.
Leo Tover, “Dead Reckoning,” with
Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott.
George Meehan, Jr., “Ghost Town,”
with Judy Canova, Allen Jenkins.
Charles Lawton, Jr., “The Return of
Monte Cristo” (Edward Small Prod.),
with Louis Hayward, Barbara Britton.
Burnett Guffey, “Johnny O’Clock,”
with Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, Ellen
Drew.
Joseph Walker, “My Empty Heart,”
with Rosalind Russell, Melvyn Douglas,
Sid Caesar.
Allen Siegler, “Secret of the Whistler,”
with Richard Dix, Leslie Brooks.
Henry Freulich, “Mr. District Attor¬
ney,” with Dennis O’Keefe, Marguerite
Chapman, Michael O’Shea, Adolphe
Menjou.
Eagle-Lion
Clyde DeVinna, “It’s a Joke, Son,”
with Kenny Delmar, Una Merkel, June
Lockhart, Constance Dowling.
Jackson Rose, “Born to Speed,” with
Johnny Sands, Terry Austin.
Hal Roach
John Boyle, “The Fabulous Joe”
(Cinecolor), with Walter Abel, Margot
Grahame, Marie Wilson.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Joseph Ruttenberg, “Sacred and Pro¬
fane,” with Greer G a r s o n, Richard
Hart, Bob Mitchum, Florence Bates.
Sidney Wagner, “High Barbaree,”
with Van Johnson, June Allyson.
George Folsey, “The Sacred Heart,”
with Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon,
June Allyson, Robert Sterling.
Robert Surtees, “Ballerina,” with
Margaret O’Brien, Cyd Charisse, Danny
Thomas.
Harry Stradling, “Sea of Grass,” with
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn,
Melvyn Douglas, Robert Armstrong.
Charles Salerno, “The Arnelo Affair,”
with John Hodiak, Frances Gifford,
George Murphy.
Hal Rosson, “Life’s for the Loving,”
with Gene Kelly, Marie MacDonald,
Charles Winninger, Spring Byington.
Charles Schoenbaum, “Summer Holi¬
day” (Technicolor), with Mickey Roo¬
ney, Gloria DeHaven, Walter Huston,
Frank Morgan, Marilyn Maxwell.
Robert Planck, “It Happened in
Brooklyn,” with Frank Sinatra, Kath¬
ryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy
Durante.
Karl Freund, “This Time for Keeps”
(Technicolor), with Esther Williams,
Lauritz Melchior, Jimmy Durante, Jose
Iturbi.
Monogram
L. W. O’Connell, “Sweetheart of
Sigma Chi,” with Phil Regan, Elyse
Knox. -
Harry Neumann, “Cisco Kid,” with
Gilbert Roland, Ramsay Ames.
Paramount
George Barnes, “Emperor Waltz”
CAMERA SUPPLY COMPANY
ART REEVES
1515 North Cahuenga Boulevard
HOLLYWOOD Cable Address— Camera* CALIFORNIA
Efficient-Courteous Service New and Used Equipment
Bought — Sold — Rented
Everything Photographic Professional and Amateur
An unusually fine variety of basic photo chemicals always in stock.
(Technicolor), with Bing Crosby, Joan
Fontaine, Oscar Karlweis, Roland Cul¬
ver, Lucile Watson, Sig Ruman.
Lionel Lindon, “My Favorite Bru¬
nette,” with Bob Hope, Dorothy La-
mour, Peter Lorre, Charles Dingle, Lon
Chaney.
RKO
Milton Krasner, “Katie for Congress,”
with Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten,
Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford,
Anna Q. Nilsson, Rose Hobart.
Nick Musuraca, “The Bachelor and
the Bobby-Soxer,” with Cary Grant,
Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, Rudy Val-
lee.
Roy Hunt, “Trail Street,” with Ran¬
dolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeff¬
reys, George (Gabby) Hayes.
Samuel Goldwyn
Gregg Toland, “The Best Years of
Our Lives,” with Myrna Loy, Fredric
March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright.
Lee Garmes, “The Secret Life of Wal¬
ter Mitty” (Technicolor), with Danny
Kaye, Virginia Mayor, Fay Bainter,
Boris Karloff.
20th Century-Fox
Norbert Brodine, “13 Rue Madeleine,”
with James Cagney, Annabella.
Joseph La Shelle, “The Late George
Apley,” with Ronald Colman, Peggy
Cummins, Richard Ney.
Arthur Arling, “Homestretch”
(Technicolor), with Cornel Wilde, Mau¬
reen O’Hara.
Benjamin Kline, “Dangerous Millions”
(Sol Wurtzel Prod.), with Kent Taylor,
Dona Drake, Tala Birell, Robert Barrat.
Charles Clarke, “Bob, Son of Battle”
(Technicolor), with Peggy Ann Garner,
Lon McCallister, Edmund Gwenn.
Ernest Palmer, “I Wonder Who’s
Kissing Her Now” (Technicolor), with
June Haver, Mark Stevens, Reginald
Gardiner.
United Artists
Johnny Mescall, “Bel Ami” (Loew-
Lewin Prod.), with George Sanders, An¬
gela Lansbury, Ann Dvorak, Frances
Dee, Marie Wilson.
Lucien Andriot, “Dishonored Lady”
(Mars Films), with Hedy Lamarr, Den¬
nis O’Keefe, John Loder, Morris Car-
novsky.
Franz Planer, “The Chase” (Nero
Prods.), with Robert Cummings, Michele
Morgan, Peter Lorre, Jack Holt.
Paul Ivano, “Strange Bedfellows”
(Andrew Stone Prods.), with Eddie
Bracken, Priscilla Lane, Allen Jenkins,
Tom Conway, Arthur Treacher.
Edward Cronjager, “A Miracle Can
Happen” (Bogeaus - Meredith), with
Charles Laughton, Henry Hull.
Mack Stengler, “Dangerous Adven¬
ture” (Hopalong Cassidy Prod.), with
William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand
Brooks, Betty Alexander.
James Van Trees, “The Fabulous
Dorseys” (Embassy Prod.), with Tommy
Dorsey, Janet Blair, Paul Whiteman.
Universal
Stanley Cortez, “Smash-Up” (Walter
Wanger Prod.), with Susan Hayward,
Lee Bowman, Eddie Albert, Marsha
Hunt.
(Continued on Page 302)
300 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Used in Every Major Studio
Illustrated Literature on Request
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 28, Calif.
RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
Rents . . . Sells . . . Exchanges
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION
of Motion Pictures Provided
by a Veteran Organization
of Specialists
35 mm . i 6 mm.
TRAVELLING SHOT with huge boom for camera and crew required for a brief shot made for the Merto-
Goldwyn-Mayer production of "Time For Two," with Lucille Ball, John Hodiak and Lloyd Nolan. Karl Freund,
A.S.C., Directory of Photography.
Academy Research Council
In an endeavor to secure information
from Hollywood studio cinematographers
for development of a new camera crane,
the Research Council of the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has
sent out a questionnaire asking for sug¬
gested ideas which can be incorporated in
design of new lightweight lamp equip¬
ment, with latter possibly taking advan¬
tage of new metals and other materials
that may be available.
Special Research Committee, under
chairmanship of Fred Geiger of Para¬
mount studios, has been appointed to
follow through on the problem. Among
the questions listed for answering are:
What types of lamps do you need
which are not available at the present
time?
Should separate lamps be designed for
use in color and black-and-white, or
should a universal type lamp be designed
for use in both?
For black-and-white, should the com¬
mittee consider projected light or a spot
light similar to the Solar Spot, or a gen¬
eral light or fill-in light similar to the
side light?
For color, should the committee con¬
sider a hi-intensity projected spot light
or a general light similar to the Du-Arc?
What do' you consider the maximum
weight for such lamp or lamps?
What amount of light over what area
at what distance do you consider neces¬
sary?
Do you believe the lamp should be de¬
signed for mounting on the camera?
Do you believe the lamp should be de¬
signed for use on the camera crane?
Television Airchecks Via
Cameras
Television broadcasts will be air-
checked by 16mm. motion picture cam¬
eras for the benefit of sponsors and ad¬
vertising agencies, according to present
plans of Telefilm Studios, Hollywood.
Latter firm is constructing special cam¬
era and apparatus to film television
shows when latter become generally
sponsored by advertisers.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1910
729 Seventh Ave., New York City
Cable Address: RUBYCAM
LENSES for Today
and the Future
B&H-THC Cine Lenses are
not merely ideally corrected
for today’s monochrome and
color work; their design
anticipates the possibility of
future improvements in film
emulsions. Thus they are long¬
time investments. Write for
details.
BELL & HOWELL
COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1848 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Hollywood: 716 N. La Brea Ave.
Washington, D. C.: 1221 G St., N. W.
London: 13-14 Great Castle St.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS.
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
American Cinematographer • August, 1946
301
Survey of 16mm Field
Statistics regarding the number of
16mm. projectors in use for educational
and entertainment purposes, their geo¬
graphical distribution and the types of
audiences that view them, are sought in
a survey to be undertaken by the Mo¬
tion Picture Association of America. The
survey will be helpful to dealers in plan¬
ning future sales promotion and adver¬
tising.
McKINLEY
PHOTO LABORATORIES
£005 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 27
8
MM
CAMERAS
PROJECTORS
ACCESSORIES
FILM
16
MM
Still Processing • Photo Finishing
AUTOMATIC DISSOLVE
For The Cine Special
MODEL B ( illustrated ) — Precision
made; polished chrome finish $89.50
MODEL A — Precision made; polished
chrome finish . $49.50
JOSEPH YOLO
5968 Santa Monica Blvd. - Hollywood 38, Calif.
Telephone GLadstone 0158
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWxJWWWWWWWWWWW
Sound Services. Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORDING
!* . t
FOR SALE
WE BUY, SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT, NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
ING MANUFACTURERS. RUBY CAMERA
EXCHANGE, 729 Seventh Ave., New York City.
Established since 1910.
200-FT. CAPACITY, detachable magazine, MORI-
GRAF French-made spring-driven 35mm. cam¬
era, 3-lens revolving turret, direct focusing,
fitted with 28 mm., 40 mm., and 75 mm.
Apochromat F :2 lenses, and 6" F :2.5, 6 maga¬
zines, sound aperture, focus thru ground glass
or thru aperture, parallax finder, complete —
$1050.00
400 ft. inside magazine ASKANIA, hand-
dissolved shutter, direct focus, speed indicator, 3
magazines, 2” and 3" Carl Zeiss F:3.5 lenses,
price, complete . . $500.00
Complete range of Astro Pan-Tachar and very
fine Cine lenses.
BASS CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St.,
Chicago 2, Ill.
FOR SALE— NEW 35mm. 2000 ft. DeVry Sound
projector. Navy Type “D”, Semi-Portable. Am¬
plifier and Speaker. One set Schneider Xenon
coated lenses unmounted : 28mm. F2, 50mm.
F2.3, 75mm. F2.3, 125mm. F2.3. Now available
large variety of high-grade lenses. CAMERA
MART. INC., 1610 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Holly¬
wood 28, Calif. HE-7373.
EYEMO- ARRIFLEX WITH ZEISS SONNAR
COATED LENSES. CINEPHON, 35MM. MO¬
TION PICTURE CAMERAS. HI-HATS AND
12 VOLT LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC BAT¬
TERIES FOR ARRIFLEX AND OTHER CAM¬
ERAS. EDITING EQUIPMENT, TRIPODS,
AURICON AND MAURER RECORDERS.
SEND FOR EQUIPMENT BULLETIN.
THE CAMERA MART
70 WEST 45TH STREET, NEW YORK
MITCHELL CAMERA, 4 magazines, 3 lenses,
tripod, all features (early model), rebuilt,
$2450.00 ; Eyemo Turret, magazine, motor, 4
lenses, tripod, $1095.00 ; Duplex 35mm Step
Printer, $495.00 ; Bell-Howell 1000 ft. maga¬
zines, $99.50 ; Standard BH tripods, $69.50 ;
Process Background Outfits, Complete, $6000.00 ;
Film Phonographs, $695.00 ; Latest Galvano¬
meters, $450.00 ; Moviolas, $195.00 ; Densitometer,
$125.00 ; Hollywood 2000W Studio Fresnel Spots,
$57.50 ; Akeley Newsreel Camera, Gyrotripod,
$795.00. Send for Listings, S. O. S. CINEMA
SUPPLY CORP., 449 W. 42nd St., New York 18.
WANTED
LENSES WANTED — Will pay top prices and spot
cash for all types of standard lenses such as
Zeiss, Goerz, Steinheil, Cooke, Wollensak, etc.,
etc. Mail lens for examination and state asking
price. Immediate service. Burke & James, Inc.,
321 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago 4.
LABORATORY, STUDIO, or Recording Equip¬
ment, Sound Projectors, Cameras, Tripods. Pay
Highest Prices. S. O. S. CINEMA SUPPLY
CORP., 449 W. 42nd St., New York 18.
Current Assignments
(Continued from Page 300)
Russell Harlan, “Ramrod” (Enter¬
prise Prod.), with Joel McCrea, Veron¬
ica Lake, Donald Crisp.
Joseph Valentine, “Magnificent Doll”
(Skirball Manning Prod.), with Ginger
Rogers, David Niven, Burgess Mere¬
dith.
Tony Gaudio, “Swell Guy” (Mark
Hellinger Prod.), with Sonny Tufts,
Ann Blyth, Ruth Warrick, William
Gargan.
Virgil Miller, “Vigilantes Return”
WANTED
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL B & H EYEMO DEBRIE AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY. NEW YORK CITY 19
CABLE: CINEQUIP
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO¬
GRAPHIC. Write us today. Hollywood Camera
Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
WILL PAY TOP PRICES for still cameras such
as Contax, Leica, Rollieflex, etc., also Cine
cameras and all types of photographic lenses.
Send full description or mail in for examination.
We acknowledge immediately. Photo Lens Co.,
140 W. 32nd Street, New York City.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16m/m) R. C. A.
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMS, 1101 North Capitol Street,
Washington, D.C.
WE Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras, Projectors, Lab¬
oratory and Cutting Room Equipment. 8-16-35-
mm. We pay highest prices. Carry one of the
most diversified stocks in America. Mogull’s
Camera & Film Exchange, 57 West 48th Street,
New York 19, N. Y.
JACK D. LEPPERT, cinematographer, profes¬
sionally equipped. HEmpstead 1394. California
footage — 16mm. color shorts economically pro¬
duced. 6770% Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28.
FILMS EXCHANGED
SOUND FILMS EXCHANGED $1.00 per reel,
plus postage. 400 ft. reel. Sam’s Electric Shop,
35 Monroe St., Passaic, New Jersey.
CAMERA & SOUND MEN
ARTISTICALLY & scientifically trained techni¬
cians with many years of experience. Studio
facilities — lighting — sound — cameras — workshop.
ROLAB
Sandy Hook, Connecticut
90 minutes from New York City
Telephone: Newton 581
(Cinecolor), with Jon Hall, Margaret
Lindsay, Andy Devine.
Russell Metty, “Arch of Triumph”
(Enterprise Prod.), with Ingrid Berg¬
man, Charles Boyer, Louis Calhern,
Michael Chekhov, J. Edward Bromberg.
Warners
Peverell Marley and William V. Skall,
“Life With Father” (Technicolor), with
Irene Dunne, William Powell, Elizabeth
Taylor, Edmund Gwenn, ZaSu Pitts.
Ernest Haller, “Deception,” with
Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains.
Sid Hickox, “Possessed,” Joan Craw¬
ford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey.
302 August, 1946 • American Cinematographer
OF DUPLICATING QUALITY
TJ'OR duplicates which compare favorably with the original, a
natural choice is Eastman Fine Grain Panchromatic Duplicat¬
ing Negative Film, Type 1203, used as a companion to Eastman
Fine Grain Duplicating Positive Film, Type 1365.
The low speed, extremely fine grain, and high resolving
power of these two films give them important places in the family
of Eastman Films, favorites of the industry for more than fifty years.
★
CONGRATULATIONS
to Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
on the 20th Anniversary of the presentation,
August 6, 1926, at the Warner Theater, New
York, of the first, synchronized-record sound
motion picture, “Don Juan.”
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
J. E. BRULATOUR, INC., DISTRIBUTORS
FORT LEE
CHICAGO
HOLLYWOOD
out
For the beginner . . .
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nyone can make fine movies with
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Filmosound Library lias thousands of fine films
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See your B&H dealer, or write for illustrated
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j BELL & HOWELL COMPANY
7148 McCormick Road, Chicago 45
I Please send information on B&H Eyemo Cameras and I
j correlated accessories.
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i _ _ !
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
VOL 27
SEPTEMBER, 1946
NO. 9
CONTENTS
The Staff
Aces of the Camera (Lester White, A. S. C.) By W. G. C. Bosco 311
The Camera and Production Value . By Herb A. Lightman 312
Photographing the Underwater Atom Bomb Test at Bikini
By Lloyd W. Knechtel, A. S. C. 315
Carbon Arc Lighting for 16 mm. Color Production
By Alan Stensvold, S. S. C. 318
Cinema Workshop (3. Production Planning) By Charles Loring 320
High Fidelity Sound Printing for 16 mm. Film
By Lloyd N. Christiansen 322
Beauty, Brevity and the Beach . By James R. Oswald 324
My Film Tour Through Central America . By E. H. Scott 326
Among the Movie Clubs . 328
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members . 340
ON THE FRONT COVER Rosalind Russell, star in “My Empty Heart”
for Columbia Pictures, is set for a close close-up by Director of Photog¬
raphy Joseph Walker, A. S. C.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman. Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy. First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Garmes Joseph Walker
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
•
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
•
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
•
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A.S.C.
John Arnold, A.S.C.
Arthur Edeson, A.S.C.
Lee Garmes, A.S.C.
Charles Rosher, A.S.C.
Leon Shamroy, A.S.C.
Fred Gage, A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A.S.C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A.S.C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A.S.C.
Dr. W. B. Rayon, A.S.C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A.S.C.
•
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
•
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
o
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year; Foreign, $3.50. Single copies, 25c;
back numbers, 30c; foreign, single copies, 35c,
back numbers, 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
308 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
JOHN SUTHERLAND
Producer of Industrial and Commercial Films
New Era
Announcement of the forthcoming
“Mitchell 16” has aroused universal
interest among makers of commer¬
cial, educational and sponsored
films. No exception is John Suther¬
land, well-known 16 mm. producer.
“Members of the motion picture
industry have finally realized that
16 mm. productions have assumed a
position of importance in the film
world,” Sutherland states. “The
fact that the Mitchell Camera Cor¬
poration has decided to build a
truly professional 16 mm. camera is
solid evidence that a new era is
beginning. Our branch of the indus¬
try requires equipment which is
professional in every respect,
capable of the highest quality
reproduction. Now that the name of
Mitchell is affiliated with 16 mm.
photography, we feel certain of
receiving that type of equipment.”
THE MOOD OF A MOMENT...
CAPTURED FOR THE SCREEN BY A MITCHELL
A moment’s suspense, mirrored for the entertainment of
millions with the photographic perfection made possible
The New “Mitchell 16"
All the skill gathered in 25 years
of making studio cameras is now
going into the building of the Mit¬
chell 16 mm. Professional Camera.
Here is a camera which will bring
to the 16 mm. screen the same tech¬
nical perfection which has made
Hollywood productions outstanding
around the world.
★ 85% of motion pictures shown in theatres
by a Mitchell Camera. Since the early days of the movies,
the Mitchell Camera has been on the job, capturing for
screens throughout the world the brilliance and fascination
of the motion picture art.
665 N. Robertson Boulevard
West Hollywood 46, Calif.
Phone BRadshaw 2-3209
Cable Add: "MITCAMCO”
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Here it is . . . the camera for which you have been,
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Representing twelve years’ specialization in the
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its many features are:
— improved Maurer view finder, automatically
compensating for parallex, and giving a brilliant, 21/4"
x 3" erected image.
— camera rack-over for viewing and critical
focusing through the taking lens.
— correcting optics in the finder and camera
give bright-to-the-edges finding and focusing with wide
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— accurate film register . . . interchangeable
motors . . . gear-driven magazine (200, 400 and 1200
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ACES of the CAMERA
LESTER WHITE, A. S. C.
By W. C. C. BOSCO
ESTER WHITE is sorry he has
never used his middle initial.
He has a middle initial. It’s “H”.
And perhaps it stands for a name gener¬
ously bestowed by doting parents, and
known only to intimate members of the
family who refer to it in moments of
extreme gaiety on festive occasions when
paper hats are being worn. But this is
only surmise. We don’t know. We do
know that many a blooming friendship
has been blighted by too much curiosity
being exhibited about the name hidden
behind a middle initial. We also know
that Lester White has never used his.
If he had he might have saved himself
some embarrassing moments. Such as the
time the district attorney called him in
to ask him why he had been writing
checks on a bank in which he had no
account. Very embarrassing, until Les
was able to convince this muscle in the
arm of the law that there must be, in
fact was, another Lester White. Or the
time the Internal Revenue boys, who al¬
ways get their man, even if he’s the
wrong one, hauled him up and with
superior smiles asked him why he had
not declared a certain $10,000.00 they
knew he had earned and which he had
failed to declare on his Income tax re¬
turn. Flattered of course, but accustom¬
ed by this time to fighting the injustices
of mistaken identity, Les wanted to know
where he was supposed to have earned
this money. “Eddie Cantor gave it to
you,” said the agents with the air of
those to whom nothing is hidden. “For
what?” asked Les. “For writing!” they
answered. And Les swears he heard the
clink of the cuffs as they moved towards
him. “Ha! ha!” countered Les. And to
this day he doesn’t know why he said,
“Ha! ha!” at just that moment. “That
must be Lester White the writer. He
worked for Cantor. And he lives in New
York. And that’s undoubtedly where he
filed his declaration.” The revenooers ex¬
changed glances in which frustration
was not unmixed with chagrin. But vir¬
tue had triumphed once again for Lester.
Then there are the stories that can
be told about the hilarious mix-ups re¬
sulting from having the same name as
a truck driver with a penchant for pur¬
chasing expensive items on time pay¬
ments, and who never knew what time
it was. But funnier still is to hear about
the repercussions that come from our
Lester having a namesake in the used
car business.
It seems that the second-hand cars
bought from the automotive White have
a nasty habit of breaking down in the
middle of the night, whereupon the irate
purchaser quickly thumbs through the
telephone directory, and finding only one
Lester White listed, calls our Lester and
wants to know what the - he’s going
to do about it!!
Explaining to these people whose in¬
vestment in transportation has fallen so
much lower than their expectations that
they have the wrong Lester White
proves fruitless and only adds to their
conviction that they have been hornswog-
gled and generally mistreated. So, like
any good cameraman accustomed to tak¬
ing script changes in his stride, Les
quickly developed a solution to the prob¬
lem that never fails to click.
“I’m so sorry,” he tells the irate mo¬
torist. “Something must have gone
wrong.” While the guy with the beef
stops to ponder the profundity of this
bit of understatement, Les continues: “I
tell you what you do. You call a cab,
charge it to me, and go home. I’ll have
your car towed in and make all the nec¬
essary repairs without any expense to
you.” The motorist, believing the war
must be really over, beams his apprecia¬
tion and hangs up. Lester White, A.S.C.,
sighs and goes back to sleep.
And there’s more of the same. But
why go on ? We feel sure we have shown
sufficient reason to prove why Lester
White is sorry he has never used his
middle initial.
Les is a very resourceful man. Perhaps
it’s his Brooklyn background. Anyway,
it was as a boy in Brooklyn that he first
used his resourcefulness to climb a fence
and watch the early movie makers of
the old Vitagraph Co. And what he saw
behind the scenes in Flatbush so intrigu¬
ed him, and occupied so much of his
time, that his family decided to separate
him from all that nonsense and send him
off to Cornell University.
Now, as everybody knows, Cornell
University is situated in that nice, quiet
little up-state New York town of Ithaca.
But what most people fail to realize, and
it certainly escaped the notice of Lester’s
parents at the time, Ithaca was the home
of the Wharton Brothers Film Studio;
producers of serials destined to become
(Continued on Page 334)
American Cinematographer • September, 1946
311
The Camera and Production Value
By Herb A. Lightman
IN PROFESSIONAL film circles, the
term production value conveys cer¬
tain connotations of lavishness which
motion picture critics like to translate
into superlatives such as “gigantic,”
“colossal,” and “stupendous.” Reviewers
for film trade papers consistently speak
of this picture or that as having great
production value. What they usually mean
when they speak thus of a film is that
the settings, costumes, crowds of extras,
and star-studded cast look as if they
cost a lot of money.
Actually, the expression is somewhat
more elusive to define than this exam¬
ple would indicate — for it represents an
overall impression of quality conveyed
by a sum total of the elements that go
into production. This impression does
not necessarily depend upon how much
money was spent on the picture; in fact,
the effect is all too often exactly the
opposite.
Many producers feel that money
freely spent cannot help but insure the
quality of the picture. With this idea in
mind they pour millions of dollars into
the etching of an image on a strip of
film, feeling sure that the audience will
take the picture fondly to its collective
bosom. That audiences do not always
respond in this way is a matter of coldly
statistical fact, for some of the costli¬
est films have been the most resounding
flops.
When one stops to reflect that Ameri¬
can audiences go to the movies to gain
a stimulating, if vicarious, emotional
experience, it should be evident what
elements are most > effective in gaining
approval for a specific film. These ele¬
ments include a good story, strong direc¬
tion, and effective camera work — but
they do not necessarily include spectac¬
ular settings, extravagant wardrobe, or
the inevitable “cast of thousands.”
Rather, an overabundance of such fac¬
tors serves only to clutter the film and
prevent its impact from registering
fully upon the audience.
Our audiences have a right to ex¬
pect their films to be well-mounted, for
certainly Hollywood is the acknowl¬
edged world leader in technical cine¬
matic achievement. Yet there is no
need to make the mounting of the film
an end in itself, for in the final analy¬
sis, the trimmings of a picture should
serve to enhance the story and keep
the continuity moving ever forward.
Granted that a film has a good script,
capable actors, and an efficient produc¬
tion crew — the resulting picture still de¬
pends upon the presentation of these
elements for the generally good, bad,
or indifferent impression it creates when
flashed upon the screen. It is for this
reason that the photography of a photo¬
play is so important — for it is the cam¬
era through whose eye the story is ac¬
tually presented.
The camera cannot, of course, com¬
pensate for a poor script or faulty di¬
rection; but it can do a great deal to
impart quality to a picture that might
otherwise be merely adequate. In the
same way, unimaginative camera work
can detract from the most expensive and
lavishly mounted extravaganza.
Looking back at such highly artistic
and equally popular films as “The In¬
former,” “Rebecca,” “Kings Row,” “All
That Money Can Buy,” “Grapes of
Wrath” and “The Long Voyage Home,”
we find that none of these films could
be termed an “extravaganza.” There
were no breath-taking sets, no casts of
thousands, no gigantic, colossal, or stu¬
pendous effects calculated to transfix
the audience. Yet each of these films
bore the stamp of quality, plus an at¬
mosphere of richness in presentation —
an effect which in almost every case can
be traced to a combination of intelligent
set design and outstanding camera
work.
Considering production value from the
standpoint of the camera, we find that
the director of cinematography has
three elements with which to work, in
addition to the actual physical equip¬
ment which he uses to expose the film.
These elements are: lighting, composi¬
tion, and camera movement — and the
way in which he uses them accounts
for the quality of the final photographic
result. Imagination and careful pre¬
planning are two factors that help the
efficient cinematographer to get the most
from the equipment he is using. Often
he is thrown onto a picture a day or
two before shooting begins, and he does
not have adequate time to prepare all
of his effects. In this case, the film is
bound to suffer photographically to a
greater or lesser degree.
But where the cinematographer is
given his script in advance and has
time to plan it carefully, he can work
out patterns of lighting, composition
and camera movement that will present
the story on the screen to best advan¬
tage, and at the same time convey an
impression of greater production value.
Taking the three photographic ele¬
ments one by one, we can see how each
contributes to the quality of the final
result. Lighting is perhaps the most im¬
portant single factor, for light is the
medium with which the cameraman
“paints” the film. In a cheap picture,
flat, unimaginative lighting is generally
used, because that is the quickest and
least expensive way to light a set. The
result, however, looks cheap on the
screen. If the cinematographer on a
picture of this type were given suffi¬
cient time to study the script, the set¬
tings, and the action to be filmed, he
could work out a lighting pattern with
depth, modelling, and richness — and the
resulting film would show a good deal
more quality on the screen.
Similarly, composition is an impor¬
tant factor that is often neglected both
in high and low budget pictures. Good
composition amounts simply to putting
the dramatic emphasis of a scene in its
proper place. The top-notch cinematog¬
rapher achieves this result by making
sure that the lines within his frame,
the perspective of the camera angle,
and the pattern of movement on the
screen — all lead toward the focal point
of the action. Again, pre-planning al¬
lows the cinematographer to chart ef¬
fective composition, so that he is not
forced simply to plank the camera down
and shoot every scene from a straight¬
forward, undramatic angle.
Our third factor, camera movement,
is usually thought of as an “expensive”
element, since moving camera shots take
more time to set up, rehearse, and film.
This seeming extravagance is, however,
balanced by the fact that it is often
possible to lace together by means of
camera movement as many as five
scenes that would otherwise require
separate setups. Certainly smooth cam¬
era movement, correctly motivated, is
a device that adds fluent quality to a
photoplay and carries the story forward.
Producers of low-budget films have
economized by engaging mediocre talent
to place a mediocre story on the screen
within I’estricted number of shooting
days. The result was almost always a
mediocre film — but the system has
flourished because the double-feature
policy demanded a constant flood of good,
bad and indifferent product in order to
fill the exhibitors’ schedules. However,
present-day audiences are more critical
than they used to be, and are now prone
to criticize technical shortcomings as
well as dramatic faults in a film.
In production ranks this trend has in¬
spired two reactions. Firstly, several of
the major studios have announced the
intention of making only “A” pictures
in the future, thus falling back on the
312
September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Simple, yet forceful, set design — plus
a kinetic camera treatment — succeeded
in producing an atmosphere of top
quality in the presentation of "Specter
of the Rose." Low-ceilinged sets, such
as in the scene at right, were typical
throughout the film — creating a light¬
ing problem, but allowing for dramatic
low angles.
Director of Photography Lee Garmes,
A. S. C.t relied strongly upon source
lightinq and clean-cut patterns of com¬
position to project force into the pho¬
tographic treatment of "Specter of the
Rose." Simple, direct approach, as in
this scene, qives the film a continental
richness.
The backstage atmosphere of "Spec¬
ter of the Rose" was enhanced by show¬
ing the ballets from a completely back-
stage point of view. Simple settings in
this sequence conveyed an impression
of great production value because of
the richly graphic style of lighting used.
American Cinematographer • September, 1946
313
cians were to be engaged for “Specter
of the Rose.”
This announcement brought forth be¬
wildered yelps from the front office.
“How,” they wanted to know, “can you
buy the best technicians on a budget
that ends almost before it begins?” The
answer was simple and direct. Producer
Hecht explained that instead of taking
three months to shoot the picture in the
usual leisurely manner, everything would
be so perfectly pre-planned and re¬
hearsed that it could be shot in three
weeks; time would be the saving ele¬
ment. On this basis the budget could
stand the salaries of top technicians
hired only for the short period of ac¬
tual shooting. As a result, all of the
technical men working on the film were
of the highest caliber, and they were
actually paid more than they had been
accustomed to receiving.
The system worked beautifully. Each
technician felt a sense of responsibility
toward the film. All along the line
there was teamwork, an element notor¬
iously lacking on most Hollywood sound
stages. Creative artists were given free
rein and placed “on their honor” to hold
the production to its budget. For ex¬
ample, art director Ernest Fegte, con¬
sidered an expensive man as art direc¬
tors go, was given a budget of $22,000.
with which to construct 19 sets. When
costs were tallied, it was found that he
had held his budget to a scant $17,000.
for sets, designed and executed within
the record time of 12 days.
In line with his determination to
place a high quality of production value
on the screen, Garmes arranged to use
one of the latest type cameras owned
by the Selznick studios. He plotted all
of his camera angles and lighting set¬
ups several weeks before the picture
went onto the sound stages, so that he
had every technical detail perfectly in
mind before a camera turned.
Meanwhile, director Hecht was busily
pre-rehearsing his cast. They rehearsed
for weeks in the most improbable places:
in taxi-cabs, in bars, at lunch, at din¬
ner, wherever they happened to be. By
the time shooting was to begin, each
actor knew exactly what he had to do in
every scene. There was no indecision,
no waste motion, no costly retakes. Be¬
cause of these pre-rehearsals the pic¬
ture could be undershot instead of being
overshot as is usually the case. Rarely
were more than two takes made on a
scene, whereas in the average picture
anywhere from 4 to 15 takes per scene
is the rule.
Lee Garmes’ position as co-producer
and co-director as well as director of
cinematography allowed him free rein
in working out his camera treatment.
On the average film, the director tells
the cameraman where to place his cam¬
era and what effects are to be achieved.
But in “Specter of the Rose” the cam¬
era set-ups and angles were completely
Garmes’ responsibility. No one inter¬
fered with him or dictated what he
(Continued on Page 339)
faulty more-money-more-quality line of
reasoning. Secondly, and much more
significantly, certain low-budget pro¬
ducers have decided to engage top-notch
talent and to save money by intelligent
pre-planning to cut down wasted time
in production.
Typical of the latter healthy attitude
is a new film, “Specter of the Rose,”
which is now in national release. This
picture is the brain-child of ace-scenar¬
ist Ben Hecht who, tired of turning out
commercial screenplays for filthy lucre,
decided he wanted to put something ar¬
tistically superior on the screen. He
wanted, he said, “to make an adult
picture for adults, not for the 11-year-
old intellect that most producers ca¬
ter to.”
This attitude, of course, was in itself
revolutionary, since the success of a
film invariably depends upon mass at¬
tendance at the box office — that mass
being composed of a great majority of
11-year-old intellects. Financially, the
picture represented a decided gamble
because it violated all the rules of com¬
mercialism. There were to be no stars,
no lavish sets, no kiss-punctuated happy
ending.
Hecht broached his idea to several
studios, most of which were afraid to
touch it. Finally, at cowboy-infested Re¬
public Studios, he was given a sympa¬
thetic hearing. The powers-that-be, hap¬
pily dazed perhaps by Hecht’s status as
Hollywood’s foremost screenwriter,
agreed to allot to his production the
staggering sum of two hundred thou¬
sand dollars, an amount just about ade¬
quate to pay for a backdrop at one of
the major studios. The salaries of sev¬
eral of the top technicians were to be
paid on a percentage basis from the re¬
ceipts of the film.
Far from being stymied by this low
budget, Hecht was jubilant about it.
“As soon as you start spending big
money on a picture,” he observed, “it is
taken out of your hands and put into
the public’s. They cast it for you and
dictate what should go into it.” Actually
costs had to be held down, because the
picture was admittedly slanted, not for
the huge mass audience, but for a rela¬
tively small, decidedly highbrow seg¬
ment of the movie-going public.
Closely associated with Hecht as co¬
producer and co-director of the film, as
well as director of cinematography, was
top-cameraman Lee Garmes, A.S.C.,
whose name on a credit list automatical¬
ly spells quality. Garmes had worked
with Hecht before, had shot almost all
of his previous pictures, including the
artistically triumphant “Crime Without
Passion” and “The Scoundrel.” The two
men agreed that only the best techni¬
The climactic sequence of "Specter of the Rose," in which the craied dancer executes a weird dance of
death before leaping through the window to his death — is characteriied by dramatic low-key lighting and
forceful camera angles.
314 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Members of the A. S. C. who participated in the preparations for, and the actual motion picture photography of, Operations Cross¬
roads — both the airdrop and under-water atom bomb tests at Bikini. Standing (left to right): Paul Perry, Tom Tutwiler, Major Gilbert
Warrenton. Kneeling: Harry Perry and Lloyd Knechtel.
Photographing the Underwater Atomic Bomb
Test at Bikini
By LLOYD W. KNECHTEL, A. S. C.
( Editor’s Note: Only through motion
; picture photography were the recent
atomic bomb tests in the Pacific regis¬
tered permanently for study by scien¬
tists, Army, Navy, and Air Force high
commands; and for partial exhibition
before the public. The entire project
was planned down to the most minute
detail, with special emphasis on the
safety of the personnel engaged.
Early this year, when Operations
Crossroads was being set up, A. S. C.
members who had previous military
photographic experience were solicited
to join the project either with former
military rank or civilian status. Those
who volunteered for the assignment in¬
cluded: Major Gil Warrenton, USAAF,
Harry Perry, Paul Perry, Tom Tut¬
wiler, Lloyd Knechtel, and Art Lloyd.
The latter was in on the preliminary
preparations, but had to return to
Hollywood for a prior picture commit¬
ment. The others remained for the two
atomic bomb tests in the Pacific — with
pride in intimate participation in one
of the most stupendous events in world
history.
Because of restrictions still in effect,
Lloyd Knechtel has been able to only
generalize on the underwater atom bomb
test — but it’s most interesting reading.)
BOTH the air drop test and the un¬
derwater test of the atomic bomb
in the South Pacific are now past
history, insofar as the current news val¬
ues are concerned. History — and the ex¬
tensive film record obtained in each in¬
stance — will more correctly evaluate the
accomplishments of the two inter-related
projects which will have a terrific im¬
pact on world peace for the future. Only
by comparison is it possible to evaluate
the difference between the above- water
and below-water bomb detonations from
a photographic angle.
From the scientific point of view, much
American Cinematographer • September, 1946
315
knowledge was obtained from both tests.
However, the second — and under-water —
explosion of the atomic bomb was an
unknown quantity, and only by the wid¬
est imagination was it possible to fore¬
tell what would happen in that particu¬
lar instance.
We photographers at Kwajalein and
Eniwetok — whether Army, Navy, civilian,
from Wright Field, or recruited because
of past war experiences — were all highly
keyed up to photograph something that
the world had never seen before.
Extensive Advance Training
We had all gone through intensive
training and briefings before A Day —
both at Roswell, New Mexico, and at
Kwajalein. What to do in case we had to
bail out and jump by parachute if flying
at high altitudes — how to take care of
ourselves if and when we hit the water
— special shark repellant to release —
how to get into rubber dinghys when in
the water — and a hundred and one things
for our personal safety.
Safety was the one angle stressed on
this project and the Army Air Corps
should be proud of the record on Opera¬
tions Crossroads — only one accident — a
Captain Bishop who was armaments of¬
ficer, and who loaded the Hiroshima and
Nagasaki bombs — was killed when he ac¬
cidentally walked into the propeller of
the bombing ship “Dave’s Dream” one
week before A Day. It was a great rec¬
ord, no planes or personnel lost while the
planes were in the air on missions over
Bikini — and there were many test mis¬
sions. Daily routine was up at 2:30 a.m.
from our Quanset Huts — shave and a
shower — breakfast by 3:30 — at stations
with our crews by 4 — turn over the
props — pre-flight inspections by 5 — and
takeoff between 5 and 6 a.m.
Cameras Everywhere
On B Day (the underwater atomic
bomb display) the same number of planes
were used as photographic ships. At
Kwajalein there were two converted
C-54’s — with cameras peeking out of
every conceivable position for both mo¬
tion pictures and stills. There were Mit¬
chells, Eyemos, 16 mm. color and black-
and-white — special high speed cameras,
the Jeromes and Fastex cameras with
prisms instead of shutters that photo¬
graphed up to 8,000 frames per second.
Many of the Mitchells photographed at
96 frames per second in both black-and-
white and Technicolor monopack.
There were eight converted B-29’s
known as F-13’s that were also bristling
with lenses — in the nose, in the blisters
and in the tail positions and bomb bays.
Drone Camera Ships
At Eniwetok the same number of
photographic planes were utilized as on
A Day — four B-17 mother ships and four
baby ships, or drones, controlled remote¬
ly by radio from the mother ships. It
was a thrilling sight to take off in a
mother ship — circle around a few times
and come in low over the runway to pick
up the baby after the radio-controlled
jeeps had taken them off and put them in
the air just ahead of you. After being
airborne, the mother ships then took
over radio control from the jeeps and
controlled the drone to the target — guid¬
ing the latter through the atomic cloud
a few minutes after the blast — and
bringing it home to base where the radio-
controlled jeep then brought the drone
down onto the runway for a landing.
The B-17’s had various motion picture
and still cameras aboard. On the drone
planes the cameras were operated by re¬
mote control from the mother ships. The
Army Air Force, to my knowledge, is
the only Air Force in the world to have
perfected the handling of drone planes
so adroitly and efficiently. The recent
flight of drones on Operations Remote
from Honolulu to Muroc, California, is
further proof of this point — a very long
flight with no personnel aboard in the
drones over a great distance.
B Day Easier Operation
On B1 Day the air photographers had a
much simpler problem in contrast to A
Day. On the first atom bomb drop dis¬
play, we were ordered to wear very dark
glasses to protect our eyes from the
brilliant flash that would come with the
explosion — many times the intensity of
the sun. We had to set our cameras at
a pre-determined position and hope for
the best bcause it was almost impossible
to see through the dark goggles.
Also there was the element present of
the human error on the part of the bom-
badier who dropped the bomb. Many
cameras were using long-focus telescopic
lenses at the time, so our problem can
easily be visualized. In contrast, on B
Day we knew exactly where the explo¬
sion would occur; consequently we did
not have to worry about the flash, and
no dark glasses were required.
Atom Bomb Away
At exactly 8:35 a.m. to the second on
July 25th, the underwater atom bomb
was detonated — and a more spectacular
sight I have never seen before — a huge
column of water shot up, climbing to an
altitude of between 7,000 and 9,000 feet
— shaping like a gigantic cake as it
grew. The shock wave seemed to change
the entire picture by each second, form¬
ing billowing clouds filled with atomic
energy. A very short time after the
blast occured the shock wave hit us in
the plane — varying at our distance away
from the actual time of the explosion. It
hit us with a resounding crack — much
stronger than A Day — and some planes
received more severe jolts than others —
but it could not help but remind all of
us of the terrible power behind the
atomic bomb. The atomic cloud soon
covered the entire area of the target
array of ships, blocking it from view. If
you were fortunate enough to have seen
the newsreel clips, you witnessed the
complete spectacle before your eyes much
better than I could ever describe it to
you. The USS Nebraska had disappear¬
ed. The gallant old Saratoga was sink¬
ing, and many other minor ships were
completely out of commission. The Jap
battleship Nagato sank during the night,
and all we could see the next morning
was a series of bubbles and oil coming
up next to the Nevada which survived
both atomic blasts.
Radio Activity Had To Settle
It was several days before the radio
activity had settled down sufficiently be¬
fore the ships of Admiral Blandy’s fleet
could enter the target area. The advance
ships nosed alongside and — with water
from fire hoses — sprayed the decks of
the objective ships before the latter
could be boarded. Special Geiger count¬
ers were used to check the safety of
boarding for survey of the bomb damage.
Radio activity is an amazing thing — you
cannot see it or actually feel it (unless
you get too much — then you may die).
Photographic Planes Through
Atomic Clouds
On both A and B Day, photographic
planes and their crews went through the
atomic clouds. Obviously, in both in¬
stances, the drone planes came back “red
hot.” Yet our cameras had to be un¬
loaded from the planes immediately after
landings. On each plane, other than the
drones, there was a technician with a
Geiger counter. On A Day our F-13 cam¬
era plane got into the atomic cloud and
could not get out of it for more than
five minutes — the Geiger counter doing
handsprings all the time — and the tech¬
nician shouting, “Let’s get the hell out of
here quick!” The radio-activity, however,
fortunately seemed to cling especially to
oily sections of the motor, hydraulic sys¬
tems, etc.
Minor Drone Mishap
The only mishap on B Day of minor
nature, occured with the drone we were
controlling from the mother ship I was
flying in. We brought the drone success¬
fully through the atomic cloud a few
minutes after the blast and immediately
picked it up for steering home to Eni¬
wetok. It was landed successfully, but on
taxiing down the runway, it became evi¬
dent that the brakes were out of commis¬
sion. The drone continued to the end of
the runway and beyond, ending up in the
drink — but the Air Corps soon pulled it
out of the water, made necessary repairs,
and had it in the air again for its flight
back to the United States.
History-Making Experience
It was all a great experience, and I am
certain that much valuable and scientific
knowledge was gained by the Manhattan
District. With the United States Army
and Navy cooperating to the utmost, it
will stand in history as one of the great¬
est demonstrations and shows of all time
in the propaganda for peace in this
world.
Lindfors Now B&H V. P.
E. S. Lindfors has been elected a vice
president of Bell and Howell Company,
and will headquarter in the firm’s New
York offices. He joined the company 10
years ago, and has been a travelling rep¬
resentative and district manager.
316 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
EASTMAN
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It’s EASTMAN through and through
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all the extra special qualities
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in every EASTMAN product —
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CHICAGO
HOLLYWOOD
Carbon Arc Lighting For
16mm Color Production
By ALAN STENSVOLD, S. S. C.
THE COST of producing a 16mm.
subject professionally should be
less than a 35mm. production in
direct ratio to the difference in the size
of the frames. Most certainly it is logi¬
cal to assume that a smaller picture will
cost less — or is it?
The foregoing type of illogical rea¬
soning is all too familiar to the pro¬
fessional 16mm. cinematographer. While
it is seldom stated in so many words it
is often forcefully indicated in budget
meetings by direct action. Unfortunate¬
ly the camera will not rationalize to a
cost sheet as some producers are prone
to do and if the cinematographer is
forced to compromise with an inadequate
budget and insufficient equipment the
finished product will not be of profes¬
sional quality.
The secrets of Hollywood’s success in
keeping the title of “The Motion Pic¬
ture Capitol of the World” are based on
talent and material which has cost un¬
told millions of dollars to accumulate.
It is to take advantage of this equip¬
ment and knowledge that is bringing
producers of educational and industrial
pictures to Hollywood. If they obtain
the quality of product they desire at a
less cost than entertainment subjects it
will be because they do not have to pay
for stars; not because they will be able
to operate successfully on the basis of
the smaller the frame size the less the
cost.
Professional 16mm. production and
color are almost synonymous at present.
The industrialist not only desires pleas¬
ing flesh tones, but he must have ac¬
curate color reproduction of labels,
trademarks, advertising, and the color
must be constant whether the shot is
an exterior or an interior.
If the interior of his factory is shown
he does not want to see a flat, dimly-
illuminated foreground with only a weak
suggestion of detail in the background.
He wants to see his idealized version
which is actually much clearer than the
place appears to the eye.
At first thought it may seem that if a
manufacturer wishes a clear long shot
of the interior of his factory that all of
the equipment in Hollywood will be of
no value unless it is transported to the
location. Quality professional color pho¬
tography requires carbon arc lamps and
a rather high level of illumination re¬
gardless of whether the picture is pro¬
duced in Hollywood or Detroit.
While it may not be practical to-
transport sufficient arc lamps and gen¬
erating equipment to adequately illum¬
inate the interior of a factory for an
establishing long shot, it is practical to
carry along enough equipment for the
foreground action and booster lights.
Because the carbon arc lamp matches
sunlight the two may be used together
with sunlight as the main source through
windows and skylights and the available
arc lamp equipment to “boost” sunlight
by illuminating the dark areas. In other
cases the factory may be transported to
Hollywood in effect by photographing it
in miniature, or by other process meth¬
ods.
This use of talent and equipment
which has been assembled for the pro¬
duction of 35mm. motion pictures makes-
it possible to produce high quality 16;nm.
pictures without the necessity of devel¬
oping techniques by slow and costly
methods.
In the production of 35mm. color it
was learned that sunlight, or white light*
balance is essential. White light, being-
composed of equal quantities of the
light primaries, blue, green and red, is
a natural source for a process designed
for true color reproduction. Only with
white light is it possible to use the same
camera set-up for interiors as on ex¬
teriors with the assurance that flesh
tones and costume colors will match*
Is there any reason to assume that this
is not also true of 16mm. merely be¬
cause the frame size is smaller ?
As a matter of fact white light is
more essential for the production of
J 6mm. color, where multiple laver film
(Continued on Page 332)
SHADES OF PAST MOVIE HISTORY. John Lund ready for a scene in "Perils of Pauline," Paramount
Technicolor production starring Betty Hutton as the inimitable Pearl White, early serial star. Director of
Photography Ray Rennahan, A. S. C., is kneeling in front of the camera, while Director George Marshall is
seen beside camera.
318 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
the new
"professiona
junior"
tripod
removable
head
Patent No. 2318910
The new “Professional Junior”
Baby Tripod, shown ready for the
Removable head, weight 5y2 lbs.,
is made of Aluminum with Dural
legs having spurs. Extended height
— 21 inches, depressed — 16 inches.
It’s compact and sturdy. Quality
throughout.
acclaimed the finest for every picture taking use
The friction type head which is unconditionally guaranteed for 5 years, gives
super-smooth 360° pan and 80° tilt action. It is removable, can be easily
mounted on our ’Hi-Hat" low-base adaptor or Baby "Professional Junior"
Tripod base. The large pin and trunnion assures long, dependable service. A
"T" level is attached. The top-plate can be set for 16mm. E. K. Cine Special,
with or without motor; 35mm. DeVry and B & H Eyemo (with motor), and with
or without alignment gauge.
The standard size tripod base is sturdy. "Spread-lag" design affords utmost
rigidity and quick, positive height adjustments. Complete tripod weighs 14 lbs.
Low height, at normal leg spread, 42". Extended height 72". All workmanship
and materials are the finest.
The Cinema
Workshop
3. Production Planning
By CHARLES LORING
LET US SAY that we have decided
to film a picture. We have already
selected our cinematic idea and
have transposed it into a theme. Using
the theme as a nucleus, we developed a
synopsis of the story, which we then
broadened into a treatment, which in
turn became a scenario or shooting
script.
This particular pattern of planning is
based on general professional studio
procedure, but (as we have pointed out
in previous articles) it can also pro¬
vide a plan by means of which the ad¬
vanced amateur or semi-professional
can make better pictures.
So, let us say, then, that we now have
our scenario complete and approved. It
is a working blueprint of the picture
we are going to make. What is our next
step? Shall we rush right out with
camera and film and start grinding off
footage? Unfortunately it is that very
sort of thing that happens all too fre¬
quently in semi-professional production.
A film-maker often spends a good deal
of time and effort turning out a good
script only to nullify the effect in ac¬
tual shooting by ignoring one impor¬
tant step in preparation; that step is
the process known as production plan¬
ning.
Why Production Planning?
It is rarely, if ever, that a good film
“just happens.” Almost always, a pic¬
ture worth seeing on the screen is the
result of a good deal of hard work, most
of which must be done before a camera
starts grinding. In order to best ac¬
complish this preliminary preparation
for shooting, the film-maker should con¬
stantly visualize the production in its
overall form — not merely as a collec¬
tion of fragmentary scenes that can be
haphazardly shot and spliced together.
Actually, production planning in one
form or another is as essential to the
home movie as it is to a feature-length
commercial sound film. Naturally, the
more involved the story, the more thor¬
ough this phase of planning must be.
Careful preparation will give the re¬
sultant film a general smoothness plus
a unified approach, so that appearing
on the screen it will seem to have been
designed and executed by one creative
mind, even though many technicians
may actually have had a part in the
filming. In addition to this individual
“touch,” pre-planning assures consistent
continuity and a minimum of wasted ex¬
pense, effort, and time. This latter item
is no small consideration, for time on
the set is important. It should not be
wasted by making a full cast and crew
wait around while issues are decided
that should have been settled on paper
long before the picture reached the
shooting stage. At best, certain unfore¬
seen delays are inevitable — but a good
deal of expensive time-waste can be
avoided by intelligent pre-planning.
The producer of the film should be¬
come thoroughly familiar with his script
before shooting begins. He should know
every scene and sequence, its content
and requirements. He should know just
how each bit of action is to be staged,
plus the effect it is calculated to have
on the audience. He should literally live
with that script before he starts to
shoot. With this approach he will be
able to produce the film for the most
observant members of his potential audi¬
ence, and thus gain the best possible
reaction.
The Preliminary Conference
The first step in production planning
is to call together for a preliminary con¬
ference all of the technicians who are
to participate in the shooting of the
picture. The purpose of this conference
is to set up certain basic standards of
operation, to familiarize everyone with
the approach and technical requirements
of the script, and to anticipate any prob¬
lems that might arise later on.
This conference should be an infor¬
mal sort of affair with the producer or
director reading the script aloud to his
technicians, explaining it as he goes
along and answering any questions that
they might have. It is advisable for all
present to make notes of any ideas they
may get while the script is being read.
When the reading of the script has
been completed, the producer should
then explain to the group what approach
or slant he has in mind for putting the
story on celluloid. He should ask for
their suggestions and encourage any
ideas that will make the picture more
effective in any way. It is only a sec¬
ond-rate producer whose pride will not
allow him to recognize and use good
suggestions submitted by others, merely
because he himself was not the or¬
iginator.
It is during the preliminary confer¬
ence that any obviously impractical fea¬
tures of the script can be thrashed out
and revised. Far better to do it at this
time than to try to correct the mistake
after the sequence has already been
filmed.
Production Breakdown
After the conference, the producer
and his assistants should be ready to
make the production breakdown. Actual¬
ly, this amounts to dissecting the script
into its separate scenes and sequences
in order to estimate costs, set up a
shooting schedule, and determine the re¬
quirements of each scene in terms of
cast, props, locale, etc.
The director and the cameraman
should go through the script scene by
scene, discussing each camera set-up and
determining how it is to be executed.
They should know in advance of shoot¬
ing just exactly what each set-up is and
how, when and where it is to be filmed.
Simple scripts of the home movie va¬
riety can usually be shot in sequence
without undue trouble, since such stories
are relatively uncomplicated and take
place in a confined locale. But when a
more intricate feature, either photoplay
or commercial, is to be shot, it is usually
a good idea to group the scenes for cam¬
era angle, locale, cast, etc.
For an obvious example, let us say
that scenes 2 and 82 both take place
in the same locale, one that is a good
distance away. Obviously, instead of
making two different trips to that loca¬
tion as the scenes came up in sequence,
it would be more convenient to shoot
both scenes at the same time, even
though they were to appear at widely
separate points in the story. Similarly,
if certain cast members were to be
shown in scenes 5, 43 and 102, it would
be more logical to shoot all these scenes
together, if possible, than to call the
players back at three different times, or
keep them waiting around during the
entire filming.
The most ambitious step in breaking
down a production that is at all in¬
volved, is to prepare a separate dope
sheet for each scene. On this sheet
would appear in separately ruled spaces,
the locale, cast required, whether in¬
terior or exterior, lighting set-up, props,
costumes, special effects, etc. It is even
advisable to include a diagram of the
camera angle, or a rough sketch of the
composition of the scene as it is to ap¬
pear in the frame. Also on this sheet,
spaces should be left to fill in during
shooting the running time of the scene,
exposure used, and any other technical
data concerning the scene.
Having made the breakdown, the pro¬
ducer is then ready to set up a shooting
schedule. Grouping his shots for maxi¬
mum efficiency, he estimates how long it
will take to shoot each scene. In doing
so, he takes into consideration the man¬
ner in which his technicians work on
the set as well as unforeseen hold-ups
that may delay shooting. He will also
(Continued on Page 336)
320 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Top Sound Quality with
All Types of Sound Film
The Fidelity Control, a built-in feature of
Sound Kodascope FS-10-N, enables precise
focus of the scanning beam. The result —
finest tonal quality from any sound film,
original or "dupe" — and this is but one of
many ''FS-10-N'' features that make for
better screenings under the widest range
of projecting conditions.
Sound Kodascope FS-10-N, the single-case sound and silent
16mm. projector introduced during the war — the "N" in FS-10-N
stands for "Navy" — is now being produced as a two-case outfit.
One case holds the speaker, Cordomatic connecting cord, 1600-
ft. take-up reel, power cord, and extra lamps. The other, the projec¬
tor itself. Just about everything needed for showings, sound or
silent, has a place in one of the carefully designed cases.
Another new note: Both the projection and condenser lenses of
the "FS-10-N" are coated . . . Lumenized . . . for maximum screen
detail and illumination.
Better see your dealer about this superior, yet reasonably priced
projector. As with all good things, unfortunately, the supply of
the two-case "FS-10-N" will be limited for some months to come.
High Fidelity Sound Printing
For 16mm. Films
By LLOYD N. CHRISTIANSEN
( Research Engineer Telefilm )
-as-
TO EVERY producer of 16mm.
pictures a good sound track is sec¬
ond only to the scenes it enhances.
It carries the thread of thought behind
the picture, weaving the multitude of
shots into a powerful medium of influ¬
ence, information, or entertainment. The
use of direct recording onto 16mm. film
for the past 10 years has become the
best practical way for the majority of
producers in this field to add sound.
Telefilm, Inc., of Hollywood, one of
the pioneer all-16mm. studios, succeeded
in recording excellent sound as early as
1936 sufficiently broad in sound range to
carry on with regular productions, under
full assurance of dependable duplication
to Kodachrome, by contact printing.
Highly specialized recording equalization
and film processing produced good sound,
despite the heavy grain structure of the
recording film stock, plus the low speed
of 16mm. film travel.
Later improvements in recording stock
made it possible for the engineering staff
to make original recordings approaching
closely the useful range of the 35mm.
release prints, with their physical advan¬
tage of greater film travel speed. This
appeared to be the missing link to match¬
ing accepted 35mm. standards with
16mm. film, if it were only possible to
make prints from such a high fidelity
track.
Closer examination of prints made in
the conventional manner, however, re¬
vealed that a great ravine was yet to be
crossed before 16mm. sound was to equal
the theater quality which the public had
grown to accept as near perfect. To add
to the importance of clearing up this
critical printing problem, was the reali¬
zation that at least one manufacturer
had extended the range response of a
16mm. projector sufficiently to partially
take advantage of the hoped-for new
standard in over-all sound quality.
Research on the problem was given
high priority at Telefilm, and all known
methods of sound printing were studied
to see if a simple, high definition method
of transferring the sound image from
one film to another could be developed.
It became obvious that two principal fac¬
tors comprised the great cavern down
which these newly captured overtones of
sound were tumbling into silence. They
were film slippage and image flare.
Film slippage was perhaps the great¬
est offender. The shrinkage of the origi¬
nal sound track acetate base film re¬
duces its length below that of the new
raw stock against which it must press,
on its travel through the contact printer.
The sprocket perforations in the two
films to be passed through the printer do
not match under such conditions, and the
films travel past the exposing light in a
more or less lumpy movement, causing
the new undeveloped image to “smear.”
Conventional printing equipment, com¬
bined with the new wider range 16mm.
recording, produced a distorted ripple in
the overtone range of music and voice.
The sprocket perforations in the film
stock jostle forward and back, in their
effort to equalize their inherent differ¬
ence in length, between sprocket holes.
This movement between the films is
much like snapping the shutter of a
camera when it is not perfectly still. A
blurred image is the result.
The second vital problem in transfer¬
ring microscopic sound images from the
new high quality original recording to
the outgoing print was due to the scat¬
tering of light through the film grain
structure in such a manner that the wave
shape of the sound image was either
distorted or the very delicate tone shad¬
ings were completely “washed out,”
when a conventional light source in
printing was used.
Months of experimenting brought
workable answers to both problems.
Prints are daily coming out of the pro¬
cessing laboratory which represent a
sound quality safely beyond previous
standards for 16mm. film, and amazingly
close to the best of the 35mm. theatrical
release prints.
The new Telefilm printer now in use
embodies mechanical and optical prin¬
ciples which largely take advantage of
the limitations of acetate 16mm. film,
and to some extent out-flank the limita¬
tions, rather than make a frontal attack
upon them.
An example of the out-flanking ap¬
proach is in the film slippage problem.
Instead of utilizing the more or less un¬
certain “non-slip,” or the “brute-force”
principles, it was decided to try “con¬
trolled” slippage in conjunction with a
different exposing method. In the “con¬
trolled” principle the slippage is allowed
to occur at a uniform rate, to avoid
“wows” at low frequencies. It takes
place at a rate equal to the difference in
length between the original film and the
new raw stock. This comes about by a
revolutionary sprocket surface, wherein
the unevenly spaced sets of perforations
of the two films are allowed to freely
seek their correct diametrical position on
the main drive sprocket.
In addition to this new approach, the
tooth and perforation contacts are iso¬
lated from the sound track edge on the
opposite side of the films by a “lateral”
loop. The remaining 24 cycle (frames
per second) flutter is free to become ab¬
sorbed by friction between the film sur¬
faces. The case for the effectiveness of
this principle may best be summed up
by the following test: An original sound
track with more than half of the sprock¬
et hole’s outside edges broken open — the
result of more than eight hundred runs
through a conventional contact printer —
had to be discontinued from release. The
fact that the perforation side was so
stretched that the film could no longer
oe pressed flat upon a smooth surface,
made further printing near impossible.
With the new printer in operation, the
urge to try it under the most severe con¬
ditions resulted in placing the film back
in service for many more prints. There
was a decided absence of the wow and
flutter heard earlier in the film’s wrin¬
kled career. It then received a first qual¬
ity rating for sound by all who listened
to the prints.
The controlled slippage principle
reached its peak effectiveness when it
was combined with a radically new ex¬
posing light system. In the new Tele¬
film sound printer a high intensity light
source is used, in conjunction with a
specially designed light filtering unit.
This new exposing beam of light is ar¬
ranged to give an exposure for the short
duration of 1/7000 part of a second, in
relation to a tone frequency of 6000
cycles per second. This short time ele¬
ment, calculated against the slow rate,
uniform slippage, gives an image dis¬
placement ratio of 200 to 1 in favor of
the new system. This high ratio of ex¬
posure versus film movement effectively
nullifies any loss of high tone response
that could result from shrinkage of an
original recording film.
Routine printing on Kodachrome dupli¬
cating stock has been reliable and out¬
standing, and research is continuing so
that the advantages of this method can
be fully exploited, in the direction of
higher over-all fidelity for 16mm. film.
Additional printers of this design are
to be made at Telefilm to facilitate the
expanding demand for theatrical quality
16mm. release prints.
322 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Write for literature describing the Bardwell & McAlister line of
Photographic Lighting Equipment. There is a light for every pos¬
sible need. Ask about the Senior 5000-watt Spot, the Junior
1000-2000- watt Spot, the Baby Keg-Lite 500-750-watt Spot,
the Single and Double Broads, the Foco-Spot, Snoots, Barndoors
Something has been added ... at the re¬
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Beauty, Brevity and the Beach
By JAMES R. OSWALD
- as -
This comely young miss with the vibrantly waving
towel typifies the spirit of youth.
AN old Chinese proverb has it that
“a picture is worth ten thousand
words.” Such an assumption might
be fairly accurate so far as still pic¬
tures are concerned, but when movies
are referred to, this is a tremendous
understatement. And just what kind of
movies are worth more than the pro¬
verbial ten thousand words? Why, movies
that live, laugh, and love . . . movies
that capture the gaiety of youth, the
frivolity of humor, the tenderness of
passion! But I’m not referring to the
professionally produced pictures you see
every week at your neighborhood thea¬
ter. I’m talking about home movies . . .
your home movies !
All year ’round is picture taking time
for the wide-awake movie maker, but
nevertheless we, as residents of that
part of the North Temperate Zone
where your breath freezes in mid-air in
the winter, and you fry eggs on the
sidewalks in summer, have our preferred
seasons for engaging in outdoor movie
making activity. With spring and fall
close runners-up, summer, just the same,
takes the lead as the most popular time
for going about our business of taking
pictures and having fun. For ’tis in the
summer when even the casual filmer
takes his camera down from the shelf,
throws his production plans into high
gear, and grinds away.
The beach is always a popular center
of liveliness and laziness this time of
year, and hence a good source of human
interest material for the alert camera¬
man. It’s at the beach where everyone
from toddling tots to tottering grandpas
comes out for a plunge in cool, refresh¬
ing waters, or merely to loll in the sand
and absorb a good quantity of pure and
unadulterated vitamin D sunshine . . .
Nature’s way.
Take a look around. You don’t have
to be a beachcomber to realize that right
here is the essence of one of the most
down to earth, human interest movies
ever made. Sure, maybe you are used
to traveling half way ’round the world
for pictures. Perhaps this is the first
summer you’re sticking around the old
home town. But here, at the beach, is
life, real and unposed, not artificial and
“out of this world.” See over there on
the hill, for instance. That comely young
miss with the vibrantly waving towel
typifies the spirit of youth . . . full of
vivaciousness , . . not a care in the
world! And glance at those kids by the
water. One of them seems to have for¬
gotten something, but mere convention¬
ality isn’t going to spoil her fun . . ,
not by any means!
Don’t look now, but a squint in the
other direction reveals an interested
young glamor girl casting her eyes
your way. She certainly isn’t on the
rocks figuratively speaking! And note
there at the shore . . . the slick chick
in slacks, just taking everything in! If
you’re the wide-awake cameraman you
like to think yourself to be, you’ve been
taking it all in, too, not only mentally,
but moviely.
As an aggressive filmer, then, be pre¬
pared for a whirl of merriment and
movie making at the beach. Don your
bathing suit and get into the “swim”
of things while acquiring your own
cherished coat of sun tan. It’s human
interest that sells those pictures to fu¬
ture audiences, so with this thought in
mind, watch your clues carefully before
pressing the button. If things begin to
lag, stir up a game of some kind, and
wait for candid opportunities, which
will be plentiful.
(Continued on Page 335)
One of these youngsters seems to have forgotten something, but mere conventionality isn't going to
spoil HER fun — not by any means!
324
September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
DuPont Perfects Film
for Television
A new motion picture film which
greatly facilitates the telecasting of pub¬
lic events within a few hours of their oc¬
currence and produces improved televi¬
sion images was introduced to a New
York television audience recently in a
joint Du Pont-NBC demonstration over
station WNBT.
Newscameramen from the National
Broadcasting Company used the new
“Telefilm” to make pictures of a full
dress parade and presidential color cere¬
mony in Washington that afternoon. Im¬
mediately after the Washington cere¬
mony the exposed stock was developed,
flown to New York, and used in nega¬
tive form with the WNBT television film
camera reversing the image electrically
to its positive form. Pictures of the event
were broadcast just a few hours after
coverage had been completed.
Similar telecasts of newsworthy events
have not always been feasible, according
to television engineers, because lack of
time or complications in setting up heavy
television equipment did not permit di¬
rect broadcast. The new film, used in an
ordinary movie camera, is designed to
cope with such conditions. It makes a
news-reel available for broadcast as soon
as it has been developed.
The film can be broadcast either as a
positive or negative. When used as a
negative, it is reversed electrically and
broadcast for normal reception. This
eliminates one processing step and in
cases of sudden news breaks where speed
is essential, television stations are able
to present negative film without the de¬
lay involved in making positive prints.
The method of using negative film to
broadcast a positive picture was describ¬
ed as a relatively simple process. NBC
engineers explained that at each stage of
signal amplification in the television sys¬
tem the picture is reversed either from
negative to positive or positive to nega¬
tive as it passes through an amplifier
tube. If a negative film is being televis¬
ed, modification of one amplifier stage in
the system results in a positive picture
in the receiving tube. On a number of
previous occasions negative motion pic¬
ture film has been broadcast by station
WNBT. The new film, however, brings
much more satisfactory results, engi¬
neers said.
This film carries a special emulsion to
pick up detail in both highlights and
shadows of outdoor scenes,, according to
Du Pont film technicians. This emulsion
was developed as a result of intensive re¬
search at the Du Pont film laboratories
in Parlin, New Jersey.
The importance of additional detail to
television is great. In telecasting any
motion picture film there is some loss in
gradation of tones on receiving screens.
By providing a greater latitude in light
range, the new film will permit more de¬
tail in outdoor action, which in turn will
give television images with more clarity.
Microfilm Division of Pathe
for Bell 6 Howell
Bell & Howell Company has acquired
the physical assets and patents of the
Microfilm Division of Pathe Industries;
according to announcement of J. H. Mc-
Nabb, president of B & H. He added that
a complete microfilm division had been
organized at the company’s Lincolnwood
plants, to include engineering, produc¬
tion, sales, and service. F. L. Rogers has
been appointed to direct sales and service
operations.
Royal Photographic Society
Honors George Pearson
George Pearson, British film pioneer,
has been awarded Honorary Fellowship
in the Royal Photographic Society. As
early as 1918, he joined in formation of
Welsh-Pearson Film, Ltd., and is still
making films as director-in-chief of the
British Government’s Colonial Films unit.
During more than 30 years in the film
business, Pearson has directed more than
300 pictures, including in excess of 30
sound films; written 38 originals, 118
scenarios and produced 25 films.
...the image on the screen . . .
The goal of all motion picture photography is the
image projected on the screen. The quality of image
produced by Baltar — both in color and black-and-
white — has won quick acclaim from those who have
tried this superb series. Eight focal lengths, 152mm,
/: 2.7; 100mm, 75mm, 50mm, 40mm, 35mm, 30mm, and
2 5mm,/:2.3, all Balcote anti-reflection coated for in¬
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& Lomb Optical Co., 597 Smith St., Rochester 2, N. Y.
Baltars are available through manufac¬
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ESTABLISHED 1853
American Cinematographer • September, 1946 325
My Film Tour Through Central America
I HAVE just returned from a four and
a half months’ trip around Central
and South America, during which I
filmed the highlights of Central and
South America in color. Before I left I
spent nearly two months reading every
book I could find on what there was to
see and do in Central and South Amer¬
ica. In addition to this, I had the tour
agency who handled my transportation
and hotel reservations give me all of
the information they had in their files
about the various countries we were to
pass through. You would think that
would give you a very good picture of
what there was in the Latin American
countries, — but I can tell you now, that
it’s just about impossible to form a real
picture of what you will actually see
down there from reading books.
Now that I have made the trip, I know
the answers to: — (1) How much film is
required for the trip; (2) What are
actually the most interesting countries
from a movie-maker’s standpoint.
Last month I gave you the answers to
the first question, and this month I
shall try to answer the second one.
Most Interesting Countries
All of the countries in Central Amer¬
ica are interesting but naturally some
are more interesting than others. I
would place Guatemala first, Mexico sec¬
ond, and Costa Rica third. The only
limit to the amount of film you can use
in these countries is the quantity you
desire to take with you, — for all of them
are a filmer’s paradise.
Guatemala Most Colorful
If I had to narrow down my choice of
countries to one only, it would be Guate¬
mala, for it is the most colorful country
in either Central or South America.
There are over 60 different villages in
Guatemala where the natives all have
their own distinctive, colorful costumes,
which they wear not only on fiesta days
but seven days a week. The markets
and villages of Guatemala are full of
color. As you pass along the roads,
you will find natives carrying every¬
thing from babies in slings on their
backs to baskets of fruit, vegetables
and personal belongings.
There is hardly a flat spot in Guate¬
mala, and the beauty of the mountains
and lakes make you want to stop at
every turn of the road and shoot.
The Guatemalan villages are all very
primitive and picturesque, with native
weavers sitting in front of a large num¬
ber of the huts, and children and chick¬
ens playing around them in perfect
harmony.
There are many interesting shots you
will get in and around Guatemala City
in the streets with the native police¬
men directing the traffic, primitive ox¬
carts side by side with automobiles, and
the National Palace, just to mention a
By E. H. SCOTT
few. There is one particularly effective
shot I made in the patio of a little
restaurant called The Patio. In fact,
it was one of the best I made in Guate¬
mala City.
Lake Amatitlan and Palin
Soon after leaving Guatemala City,
you reach Lake Amatitlan; then a little
farther on, the village of Palin. The
lake itself is very picturesque, and there
is a little stream just before you get
into the village where you will generally
find a number of native women washing
their clothes right in the stream.
Find out what time the train arrives
in the afternoon at Palin. There you
will see about thirty or forty native
women waiting with baskets of fruit on
their heads. As soon as the train pulls
into the station, there is a rush and
the natives, with baskets of fruit at
every car window, — make as colorful a
shot as you will ever get.
Continuing on, you reach Antigua —
full of quaint little streets and pic¬
turesque ruins. A short distance out
of the town is the Retena coffee planta¬
tion, one of the show places in this dis¬
trict, where visitors are welcome. You
will certainly want to make some shots
here.
Villages Around Lake Atitlan
But it is when you go farther on and
reach Lake Atitlan and Chichicastanengo
you will really “go to town.” I could
use this whole issue and still not ex¬
haust what I could say about them. Lake
Atitlan is a scenic gem, and along its
shore are about twelve native villages. Of
these, there are three that are particu¬
larly interesting, San Pedro, Santiago
Atitlan and Antonio Palopo. A day here
is all too short, and you can use 500
feet of film and only make a good start
on all you could shoot. Even before you
board the launch to go to the villages
on the other side of the lake, if you are
enthusiastic enough to get up at 6 a.m.,
you can start shooting. Take your cam¬
era with a full 100 foot roll in it to the
launch landing in the early morning, for
here you will generally find a group of
natives, men, women and children and
all kinds of animals, waiting for the
launch to take them back to their vil¬
lages.
The launch takes you around the lake
to the three villages and you can make
the trip nicely in a day, but be sure to
take your lunch with you for all of
these villages are very primitive and
there is no hotel or restaurant in any
of them. San Pedro is probably the
most primitive, and is built on a hill¬
side with most of the native huts
thatched. You will find plenty to shoot
in this village. Then continue on around
to Antonio Palopo. A larger number of
tourists visit this village than San Pedro,
so the natives here are a little more
sophisticated.
There is some very fine hand-woven
cloth and embroidery here. You can
get some good shots here by making a
deal to buy some of the embroidery or
cloth provided you can take some movies.
Santiago Atitlan is the next village, dif¬
ferent to the other two, but quite as
primitive.
Native Market at Chichicastenengo
Then, continue on to Chichicastanengo
where they have one of the most color¬
ful market scenes, not only in Guate¬
mala, but in all of Central or South
America. I can’t begin to describe the
variety of the scenes here — you just
must see them. All I can say is that
you will have an extremely busy morn¬
ing and the close-ups you can secure
are simply wonderful.
At one end of the market square is the
Santo Tomas Church, with a long flight
of stone steps in front, up which the
natives slowly walk swinging pots of
incense to and fro as they ask for a
blessing on their family and relatives.
When they reach the top of the steps,
they enter the church and start spread¬
ing handsful of flower petals on the
floor and light candles before which
they devoutly pray.
Stone Idol Worship
But all of the Indians don’t depend
entirely on their appeal to their Chris¬
tian God, because many of them, after
they have prayed for a blessing at Santo
Tomas, climb to the top of the hill near
the village and there pray before an old,
cracked stone idol, Turkah, swinging
their incense pots, lighting candles,
spreading flower petals and praying for
the same things that they did in the
church. But you will have to be very
careful if you want to take a movie of
this scene. I used a wide angle lens, set
my camera up on a tripod, then walked
away from it as if I were not going to
worry too much. I had previously checked
the exposure so my lens was all set and
the spring on the camera wound tight.
When there was an interesting group in
front of the idol, I simply walked over
to the camera, locked the starting but¬
ton in position to set the camera run¬
ning, then as nonchalantly as possible,
walked away, so that the natives did not
know whether I was taking a picture or
not. You should see this color shot!
The Mayan Inn Unique
At Chichicastanengo, you will stay at
the Mayan Inn, which is also something
to see. It is very old Spanish and ram¬
bling, with the native attendants rigged
out in Indian costumes and a native In¬
dian marimba orchestra playing every
night. At this hotel, you will have your
own No. 1 boy. He will not only appear
(Continued on Page 330)
326 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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processing machines to the film
industry goes to HOUSTON!
Built into new models are engineering
refinements, war proven and perfected,
that are setting new standards in major
film studios' for rapid film processing.
Thermostatic Temperature Control by
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Standard equipment may be modified
to meet your special processing re¬
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HOUSTON Model 11
Daylight processing . . .
does not require a dark¬
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Processes 16mm negative,
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Precision performance at
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Write for descriptive j
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 W. OLYMPIC BLVD. • WEST LOS ANGELES 25, CALIF.
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Seattle Amateur Movie Club
Members of Seattle Movie Club dis¬
cussed the feasibility of staging two
meetings a month starting in the fall at
regular meeting held August 13th in
Parish Hall of the Church of the Epi¬
phany. Other items of business included
possibility of a club sponsored movie
show; periodic joint meetings with the
Tacoma Movie Club; and plans for at¬
tracting new members from the large
crop of movie enthusiasts that has
sprung up during the past several years.
Film program included: “Three Epi¬
sodes,” an ACL film produced by W. W.
Ward of Portland, Ore.; an 8 mm. koda-
chrome made by former member Alice
Post in Equador and the Amazon Valley
of South America.
San Francisco Westwood
Annual picnic of Westwood Movie Club
of San Francisco was held on August
11th, with members and friends journey¬
ing to Dr. Gobar’s home at Emerald Lake
for a most eventful day. The Gobars’
served beans, coffee and salad, with
members bringing along sandwiches and
picnic baskets.
Film program for the July 26th meet¬
ing of Westwood comprised: “On the
Italian Front,” by Bob Mooney; “Mon¬
terey to Carmel,” by W. H. Hogan; “A
Goose Hunt,” by George Ziebell; and
“The B'oss Comes to Dinner,” by Ryne
Zimmerman, ACL. Second monthly
“school” session was held on August
21st, with Eric Unmack providing inside
information on how to make titles.
Los Angeles Eight
Meeting of Los Angeles 8MM. Club
held at Arden Farms Clubhouse on Aug¬
ust 13th featured Past Presidents’ Night,
at which former leaders of the organi¬
zation were introduced. Highlight was
reproduction of recording made at form¬
ation of the club in 1935. First president
and founder, Claude W. A. Cadarette,
currently in the east, sent along a special
recorded message which was also repro¬
duced for the members at the session.
Film program included exhibition of sev¬
eral prize-winning pictures.
Cinema Club of San Francisco
An all-member film program featured
the August 20th meeting of the Cinema
Club of San Francisco, held at the Wo¬
men’s City Club. Films shown included
“Yellowstone — Cheyenne,” and “Laings-
Emigrant Gap,” by Ben Nichols; “Native
Sons Parade, Oakland 1941,” and “Liver¬
more Rodeo-San Francisco Zoo-Sierra
Railway Trip” by L. Duggan; “Tiger
Lily,” by L. Franovich; and “1940
World’s Fair” by R. Hanlon.
Los Angeles Cinema
August 5th meeting of Los Angeles
Cinema Club was held in Lecture Room
of the Los Angeles Museum, with an ex¬
tended program of interesting pictures
attracting a large turnout of members
and guests. Films exhibited included:
“This Land of Ours — California,” photo¬
graphed by member Edwin Olsen for
Carl Dudley’s Screen Book of Knowledge
Productions; “Hospital Train,” produced
by Dudley; “Yosemite — Tahoe,” by Don
Bleitz; “Fresh As the Day It Was Pick¬
ed,” presented by Preco; and “Life Line
of the Nation,” by Edward Hutton. Dr.
George N. Bartlett presented a selection
of kodachrome slides under title of
“Moonlight and Sunset Effects.”
Contest chairman James H. Mitchell
announced that November 15th has been
set as closing date for the annual mem¬
bers’ film contest.
Amateur Club of St. Louis
Second annual lawn meeting of the
Amateur Motion Picture Club of St.
Louis was held at the home of Joseph G.
Epstein on August 14th. Film program
under the skies included: “The Thirty -
Niner,” by A1 Morton of Salt Lake City;
“A Day in Catalina,” by Lon Wadman;
“A Day in the Ozarks,” by C. E. Talbot;
and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,”
by Martin B. Manovill.
Club’s annual picnic was held at Forest
Park on July 28th, attracting 62 mem¬
bers and guests. Movies shot at the pic¬
nic by members will be exhibited at the
September meeting.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Marked success of the July picnic
meeting of Utah Cine Arts Club, held
in Mill Creek Canyon, called for repeti¬
tion on meeting held August 21st. Mem¬
bers and their guests brought along re¬
freshments and food for the picnic, and
the large turnout attested to the popu¬
larity of the outdoor meeting idea for
the two mid-summer months. Film pro¬
gram, presented in the amphitheatre ad¬
joining the picnic grounds, comprised:
“Featuring Flowers,” by William D.
Loveless; and “Realms of the Wild,”
from the U. S. Forest Service. President
T. R. Pope presided, with Theo Merrill
and LeRoy Hansen functioning as pro¬
gram chairmen.
New York Eight
Terry Manos presented his “V-E
Day” film, accompanied by a fine musical
score, at the August 19th meeting of
New York City Eight MM. Club, held at
the hotel Pennsylvania.
How Long Should a
Movie Be?
By John Hollywood
(The following humorous — but very
pertinent — comment on the proper
length of amateur film subjects, will
be particularly interesting to movie
makers. It is reprinted from the breezy
monthly bulletin of Metropolitan Motion
Picture Club, New York City, of which
Mr. Hollywood is a prominent member.)
The question always makes me think
of Abe Lincoln’s comment on the sub¬
ject of the length of a man’s legs. You
remember Abe said he didn’t care how
long a man’s legs were so long as they
reached the ground. Likewise, I sup¬
pose a movie is long enough when it
begins at the beginning and ends at the
end. But what of the stuff between the
beginning and the end ? That’s the rub.
Most fine movies are worked on, slaved
on, run and re-run, cut and re-cut, until
all the dross is out of them and nothing
but the pure essence remains.
What was it another wise and witty
man had to say about writing a long
letter? “Excuse me,” he wrote, “for
the long letter. I didn’t have time to
make it shorter.” Verily it takes plenty
of time to write a good short letter
or to make a good short movie.
When the poet said, “A thing of
beauty is a joy forever,” he surely wasn’t
thinking of long footages of beautiful
Kodachrome shown without recess and
without much rhyme or reason except
sheer beauty. Beauty, as the poet knows,
has a saturation point. In that respect
it is not much different than ice cream.
When I was a little boy I had a
great passion for ice cream. I also had
a very wise grandfather. Every after¬
noon when he took me walking I bad¬
gered him for ice cream. I never seemed
to get enough. But one day he took
the waitress quietly aside and when she
served me she placed a large service
plate before me piled high with choco¬
late and vanilla ice cream. This natural¬
ly was heaven to a little boy’s eager
eyes and I went to it with zest. But
there was a gradual slowing down and
finally a weak, little voice piped up?
“Grandfather, I can’t eat any more.”
Now I always dread that some time in
a weak moment I may make and show
an overlong film at the Club and the
members will rise up in a body on their
heels and yell: “Grandfather, I can’t
eat any more.”
How long should a movie be? Well,
it should begin at the beginning and end
at the end.
Wollensak's Color Filter
Wollensak Optical Co. has added a new
kodachrome type A filter to its line of
filters for 8 and 16 mm. motion picture
lenses.
328 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
•: V" •
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
WHEN BUYING A PROJECTOR
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19 2 3
Central American Tour
(Continued from Page 326)
about 10 seconds after you have pressed
a button in your room to get you what¬
ever you want — from huge logs for the
open fire, or extra blankets, because it
gets very cold up here — but when you
get to the dining room, you will find
your No. 1 boy waiting for you. It is
quite unique.
If there is only one country in Central
America you can visit, make it Guate¬
mala, for it is the most interesting and
colorful of them all.
Filming in Mexico
Next to Guatemala, Mexico is with¬
out question the most interesting coun¬
try for filming in Central America. I
started at Guadalajara, and after seeing
Mexico, I would still start my trip there
again, driving through by car to Mexico
City.
There are a number of very interest¬
ing street scenes in Guadalajara in ad¬
dition to the many glass and pottery
works. The most noted of the pottery
works is the El Arte Tonalteca Studio,
where you can see everything from vases
being molded on a potter’s wheel as it
was done an hundred years ago, to the
finished colorful product. Outside Guada¬
lajara along the road you will see doz¬
ens of little home industry brick works
with the whole family — father, mother
and the children — digging the clay in the
field, then mixing and molding it with
simple wooden forms into bricks.
Most Dramatic Sight in Mexico
Leaving Guadalajara, you pass through
dozens of villages on your way to Ura-
pan, the stop over on your visit to the
Paracutin volcano. You may remember
the story about three years ago of the
farmer plowing in his field when he no¬
ticed smoke coming from a corner of it.
Today, where that wisp of smoke started,
is a mountain of lava over 1000 feet
high, and all you can see of the little vil¬
lage that was once near it, is the tops
of the spires of the church, for the
slowly moving lava has now completely
covered the village.
When you do this trip, don’t forget to
take shots of the road as you go into the
volcano, both medium and close-ups. I
can’t imagine any rougher, bumpier road
in any part of the world. It is possible
that you will remain in your seat about
ten minutes out of the three-quarters of
an hour trip, but I doubt if it will be
more than that. Don’t fail to take some
close-ups of the car negotiating some of
these bumps and you will have a picture!
When you reach the end of this road,
you will find the Mexican horse camp,
for horses are the transportation that
will take you up to the foot of the vol¬
cano itself.
As it becomes darker, the red glow
of the lava becomes brighter. You go
right to the very edge of the red-hot
lava field. If you use an F 1.4 or F 1.9
lens at eight frames per second about
6 feet from the burning lava, you will
get some wonderful film and a picture
you will be proud of. Don’t spare the
film here. Shoot 15 or 20 feet, and you
will have something.
The village of Urapan is quite inter¬
esting. Just around the corner from the
Mirado Hotel is the lacquer shop of El-
via Cerda, the most expert lacquer
worker in all Mexico. He has some sim¬
ply beautiful things, trays, masks and
little boxes of various sizes, and you can
film everything from the girls applying
the color to the lacquer work to the fin¬
ished product.
Butterfly Fishing Nets
Continuing on to Lake Patzcuro, you
go across by launch to the little fishing
village of Janitzio. This is where they
have the butterfly fishing nets that the
guide-books talk about. Unfortunately,
this method of fishing went out of date
a great many years ago, but it is still
good for the tourist. You will have little
difficulty arranging with the launch man
who takes you across, to have one or two
fishermen get out their dug-out canoes
and butterfly fishing nets and go through
the motions of fishing with them.
Leaving Patzcuro, you pass through
dozens of interesting scenes, oxen plough¬
ing the fields, native women along the
banks doing their family washing, won¬
derful valley and mountain scenes, where
you will shoot hundreds of feet of film
before you realize just how much you
are actually using. You will find that the
Aqueduct with the little plaza in front of
it at Morelia makes a nice piece of film.
Beautiful Panorama at Mil Cumbres
After 50 miles of the most winding
mountain road imaginable, you reach Mil
Cumbres, 12,000 feet above sea level, to
see a panorama of mountain scenery that
is in my opinion, one of the most beauti¬
ful in the world. I have done a lot of trav¬
eling in my time and I don’t ever re¬
member seeing anything finer than the
vista of the mountain ranges at Mil
Cumbres.
From this point, you will start to
descend and soon reach the Spa of San
Jose de Purua, where they have one of
the finest resort hotels in the world. The
buildings are long and rambling with a
lot of red and brown, and they make
wonderful color pictures.
High Points Around Mexico City
Continuing on, you reach Mexico City,
where you have unlimited subjects,
among them: the famous floating gar¬
dens of Xochimilco, the Pyramid of the
Sun, the Temple of Quetzelcate, Taxco,
Fortin, Cholula, The Shrine at Guada¬
lupe and dozens of others.
Probably the most colorful thing
around Mexico City is Xochimilco. This
is full of color with the gondolas deco¬
rated with real flowers. There are Mex¬
ican flower women in their small minia¬
ture dug-out canoes, gondolas with a
cook house rigged up in them, strolling
musicians, who do their “strolling” in a
gondola, and who for a few pesos, will
pull alongside your gondola and enter¬
tain you with some of the songs in old
Mexico — are just some of the sights you
will film along the canals of Xochimilco.
The Pyramids of the Sun and the Tem¬
ple of Quetzelcate with its wonderful
stone carvings are just outside Mexico
City and were made for filming.
Taxco Movie Maker’s Paradise
One of the first day or two-day trips
out of Mexico City should be to Taxco.
All along the road, you will pass primi¬
tive, native villages on the hillsides and
farmers ploughing their fields with oxen
and crude wooden plows. Taxco is built
on top of a mountain. At the hotel your
bedroom is likely to be on one level, and
you climb to another level to reach the
dining room. There simply isn’t anything
like Taxco, for the natives here have
literally built their homes and shops on
the side of a steep mountain. Inside of
every second doorway you pass you will
see a native silversmith, for here they
have one of the largest silver mines in
Mexico. From the number of silversmiths
at work, I think they must produce about
half of the native silver articles sold in
Mexico.
Then there is Cholula and Puebla. On
the way to them you pass through the
village of San Martin. As you enter the
village, you will see a display of about
a quarter of a mile long of Indian rugs,
and as the designs are so colorful, you
are going to shoot a lot of them and
probably purchase one or two for your¬
self.
A little farther on, you reach Cholula,
where, believe it or not, there are now
160 churches, and at one time there were
over 400. When Cortez invaded and con¬
quered Mexico, he tore them down, but
later 160 were rebuilt. I don’t need to
tell you what kind of a place this is for
all kinds of medium shots, semi-close-
ups and close-ups. A few miles further
on is Puebla, famous for tiles of all col¬
ors and sizes, which are incorporated
into the homes and shops of the city.
There are a large number of inter¬
esting churches in Mexico, but the most
interesting is the Basilica of Guad¬
alupe. This is very colorful with stalls on
all sides and in front selling religious
objects, and crowds of pilgrims coming
and going into the church, etc. You will
find a two and a four inch lens very use¬
ful here, for you can set up your tripod
and get all kinds of close-ups that make
perfect unposed pictures.
Filming in El Salvador
Leaving Mexico, you pass through
Guatemala and continue on to El Salva¬
dor. This is a small country and I be¬
lieve you will find two or three days suf¬
ficient to film all that there is of inter¬
est. The sugar mills and sugar cane fields
here make very good subjects for film¬
ing. Then there is Izalco volcano which
is very active and erupts regularly every
25 minutes. The best place to get shots
of this is on the road out to Lake Coate-
peque, for on it you come fairly close to
the volcano. You will also get some won¬
derful scenic shots, and shots of workers
in the sugar fields on this road. Lake
Coatepeque is very picturesque.
Take a trip to the top of the extinct
San Salvador volcano. When you get
there, the view is wonderful and gives
you a very good idea of El Salvador.
But outside of a few villages around the
(Continued on Page 341)
330 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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16mm Lighting
(Continued from Page 318)
such as Kodachrome is used, than it is
with the three-strip method.
In the 35mm. three-strip system a
great teal of rebalancing may be clone
in the printing process because the
laboratory is working with three sepa¬
rate films representing the color com¬
ponents. In the multiple layer method
very little rebalancing can be done and
the cinematographer is obliged to have
the color balance on the film when it
is turned over to the laboratory.
The use of white light balance and car¬
bon arc lamps for 16mm. color may add
about twenty-five per cent to the light¬
ing bill and a thousand percent to the
quality of the finished picture.
One of the fallacies of color cinema¬
tography, long ago ruled out in 35mm.
color, but still used to some extent in
16mm. color, is the flat lighting tech¬
nique. Proponents of this system believe
that, due to the rather narrow latitude
of color film, better quality will be ob¬
tained if the set is illuminated with a
uniform amount of light. The color itself,
they say, will provide contrasts needed
for proper modelling.
It has been stated that Kodachrome
which is to be duplicated on Koda¬
chrome stock should be flat lighted in
order to compensate somewhat for the
gain in contrast by duping. While it is
true that the light levels should be con¬
trolled to closer limits and the level of
the key-light should be accurately bal¬
anced for the middle of the exposure
range this does not indicate the need
of flat light. On the contrary it does
indicate the need of very close and ac¬
curate control of light.
In theory flat lighting may seem all
right but the customers won’t buy it.
One reason is because for professional
color cinematography flat light is en¬
tirely too contrasty.
In amateur cinematography it is pos¬
sible to flat light a set and choose colored
objects to fit the lighting. Imagine tell¬
ing an industrial concern it will be nec¬
essary to change the color balance of la¬
bels and other advertising to meet the
requirements of flat light!
An often used analogy of this point
is the use of flat light to photograph a
dark green avocado, a bright red apple
arid a yellow lemon. If the intensity of
the light were adjusted to correct ex¬
posure for the apple, the avocado would
bei underexposed and the lemon would
be overexposed.
Instead of telling the producer he will
be obliged to darken the lemon and light¬
en the avocado the professional cinema¬
tographer works to balance the illum¬
ination falling upon each object so the
range will be within the latitude of the
film. It is the knowledge and ability to
arrange the lighting for a given effect
that makes the cinematographer worth
his hire.
These effects are only possible with
Director of Photography Virgil Miller, A. S. C.,
garet Lindsay in the Cinecolor production of "The
lighting equipment having the greatest
scope. In other words the cinematog¬
rapher must be able to use all types of
lighting equipment. To do this on color
the various sources must be balanced in
quality to the white light of sunlight.
In studying the artistic and dramatic
effects he wishes to create the profes¬
sional cinematographer thinks of light¬
ing units# in terms of brilliance, vol¬
ume, penetrating power and controlla¬
bility.^ .
He piust be able to flood an area with
soft, diffused illumination, or to send a
streak of brilliant sunlight cutting
through the general level of light. By
'a simple suggestion he must be able to
drive light into the deepest shadow area
of a huge set, or to gently raise the
‘’illumination on the features of a char¬
acter so as to modify slight contrasts
he wishes in the skin texture.
In a two dimensional picture shape
ceases to be a factor. The cinematogra¬
pher must create the illusion of depth
by dropping a curtain of light between
the characters and the back walls. In
the finer points of his art he even mod¬
els the folds and gradation of a mono¬
chromatic gown by the judicious use of
cross lighting. By moving the lights like
master chessmen, using one against the
other, he creates the illusion of round¬
ness.
The cinematographer knows the im¬
age he will see on the screen when he
views the rushes will not be be painted
there. It will be an image of the pro¬
jection light source which he has been
able to modify into a picture, good or
bad, depending upon his ability to cre¬
ate variable film density and color by
his choice and placement of set lighting
equipment.
(center), supervises lighting setup for scene with Mar-
Vigilantes Return" at Universal-International.
Sixteen mm. professional cinematog¬
raphy is still suffering from an “ama¬
teur hangover.” Having been produced
for the amateur field much of the
thought surrounding it is based on the
idea that it will be used with minimum
equipment and budget expense regard¬
less of whether the full objective is
achieved or not.
This is no criticism of the results ob¬
tained by the amateur cinematogra¬
pher. He often produces outstanding
material with very little to work with.
It must be admitted, however, that he
either wisely remains in the very nar¬
row field of operation, sacrificing the
objective to the process and available
equipment, or he comes out of it with
an inferior picture.
The professional 16mm. cinematogra¬
pher, on the other hand, is working on a
picture where the total budget may run
into well over six figures. His success
or failure depends upon the lighting
equipment he has and if the picture
budget does not allow for adequate
lighting he will be in exactly the same
position as the amateur.
The producer may lavish production
money on a large set with infinite de¬
tail in the furnishings, even to real
paintings and antique oriental rugs, yet
if the lighting is inadequate the whole
thing will appear on the screen as flat
as though it were a painted backing.
We can profit by the lessons learned
in the shooting of 35mm. color and
allow for an adequate lighting budget,
or we can arrive at that conclusion by
costly experience. If we operate with
an inadequate lighting budget the pic¬
ture will be inadequate. In cinematog¬
raphy light is not only the means to
an end, it is the end itself.
332 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Aces of the Camera
^Continued from Page 311)
the most famous of their kind: the fa¬
mous, “Perils of Pauline" and “The
Iron Claw.” The only pictures of that
day, incidentally, which publicised the
name of the writer with the product.
The writer being the late George B.
Seitz.
It would be the most obvious bit of
continuity to relate that Lester, afire
with the smell of greasepaint, threw in
his lot with the new industry then and
there. But it didn’t work out that way.
He wanted excitement. And although he
was fascinated and intriqued by the
business of movie-making he couldn’t see
that it offered any promise of excite¬
ment. For the customers, yes. But for
the movie-makers, no. So he became a
racing driver.
Racing the automobiles and the motor¬
cycles on the tracks and the roads of
that day provided him with all the ex¬
citement he was looking for, and some
he hardly expected.
One day, while riding a motorcycle in
a race on a dirt track, he was fighting
for the lead and pulled his mount around
the turn into the last lap. The front
wheel shuddered as it struck the deep
ruts, and came away from the frame.
When they picked him up from the other
side of the hole in the fence he was al¬
ready beginning to think of easier ways
to make a living.
He went to work for Rolls Royce, and
while in Florida for that company ran
into a film unit on location from Holly¬
wood. They were a wonderful crowd, and
though they borrowed his Rolls and used
his services in a number of ways — none
of which paid anything — the experience
revived Lester’s interest in picture mak¬
ing so he followed the troup back to Cali¬
fornia.
In Hollywood, Lester’s athletic prow¬
ess and a natural bent for dering-do led
him into the ranks of the stuntmen. He
found he had to change his opinion re¬
garding the opportunities for excitement
in picture making, but as he became
aware of what was going on he decided
that the cameramen held the key posi¬
tions in production, and so he decided to
become a cameraman.
But it wasn’t as easy as that. Before
anyone would let him get’near a camera
he had served an apprenticeship as prop-
man and grip. Then Jimmy Diamond
gave him his chance as an assistant at
Universal.
That was the beginning. To achieve a
perfectly rounded background he sub¬
sequently worked under the best camera¬
men of the day, until he got his first
chance as a Director of Cinematography
at M.G.M. on “The Prizefighter and the
Lady”, starring Max Baer, and directed
by the late W. S. Van Dyke.
That was sixteen years ago. Since
then he has photographed scores of pic¬
tures for Metro. Among them, and you
can put this in the small world depart¬
ment, twenty with his old friend from
the Wharton Brothers Studio in Ithaca,
George B. Seitz.
Some of the most magnificent work
of its kind ever turned in by a camera¬
man was done by Lester White during
his assignments on “Mutiny on the Boun¬
ty”, and “Captains Courageous”. These
famous epics of the sea have since be¬
come classics of the screen. The stark
realism of the sea sequences, achieved
through superb photography and with a
minimum of trick shots, brought a new
stature to motion pictures; and camera¬
men were the first to recognize the con¬
tribution of their fellow craftsman.
To shoot the outdoor scenes for those
two pictures Les spent the better part of
three years at sea with the “M.G.M.
Fleet”. A great deal of that time was
spent in experimentation and improvisa¬
tion as the crew struggled to get shots
that had never even been attempted on
such a scale before, and which were to
thrill audiences the world over.
When it is realized what large sums of
money went into that experimentation
and subsequent achievement, it certainly
reflects credit on our bigger producing
companies who will go to such lengths
in their efforts to give their productions
a plus value.
Lester’s success in the sea epics was
so marked that he was in danger of be¬
ing typed as a sea-going cinematograph¬
er. Fox borrowed him to shoot, “Down
to the Sea in Ships”, which starred the
late Laird Cregar, and which, to the
great misfortune of all movie-goers, was
shelved, unfinished, upon the untimely
death of that great actor.
For scenes in “Down to the Sea in
Ships” Les spent six weeks in the Gulf
of California, chasing whales in old
fashioned whaling ships. With James
Havens, that great marine director, de¬
manding and getting the impossible, Les
mounted cameras in whaleboats to get
close-ups of unsuspecting whales who
felt the business end of a well aimed
harpoon.
With the memories of such adventures
Les waxes indignant when he hears peo¬
ple talking about the soft, effete life
trick photography and the process shot
has ushered in for cameramen. While
quick to admit the advantages to produc¬
tion that can be gained by the modern¬
understanding of special effects, he feels
that the various “tricks” have been pub¬
licised to the point that the public de¬
ludes itself into believing that every¬
thing is trick work done from the com¬
fort of an armchair. And, with wisdom,
he points out that this practise is rob¬
bing the public of the excitement and
glamor they felt about the early movies.
“There’s hardly a day goes by,” he ex¬
claims, “but that some cameramen is
SWINGING CAMERA PLATFORM. Directory of Photography Ernest Palmer, A. S. C., was actually "the
man on the flying trapeze" for shooting this setup for the 20th Century-Fox production of "I Wonder Who's
Kissing Her Now. In order to closely follow Martha Stewart on her swings out over the theatre audience,
special caged platform was suspended by cables from girders for swing through an 80 foot arc. In addition
to Palmer, the camera and crew, the platform carried two senior mazdas and a kag to lite the player for
main light source on the swings.
33tt September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
sticking his neck out to get a particular¬
ly difficult shot.” And perhaps he is re¬
membering the time in the Gulf of Cali¬
fornia when the tail of a particularly
irate whale made matchwood out of one
of the camera boats. Or, again, when a
fellow whale, probably also irate, near¬
ly capsized Les’ camera boat when it
was injudiciously grounded on the
whale’s back by the over-zealous oars¬
men.
In electing to continue his career on
a free-lance basis, Les is motivated by
the promptings that goad all creative
people. While he is fully cognizant of
the greater opportunities that he has
had as a practicing cameraman because
of the scope and variety of Metro-Gold-
wyn-Mayers’ production facilities, and is
very grateful to have been able to test
his talents on such diversified hits as,
“Yellowjack”, The Hardy Family Series,
“Babes on Broadway”, as well as the
chance to do an “Invisible Man” picture
and “White Savage”, in Technicolor, for
Universal, he feels that the necessarily
supervised trend of though in a big com¬
pany does stifle the creative impulse.
“No one,” he avers, “can know as much
about photography as the cameraman.”
And, in joining the ever growing ranks
of free-lance artists from all branches
of the Industry, he hopes to find vehicles
that will give full rein to his skill and
imagination.
War-Time Fungus Protection
Offered for All Filmosounds
Special process developed by Bell &
Howell Company during the war to ren¬
der military and naval sound projectors
resistant to fungus and moistures is now
available to owners of Filmosound pro¬
jectors. When thousands of Filmosounds
were being shipped out to the armed
forces for intensive use all over the
world, specifications were set — and met,
by B & H engineers — for rendering the
equipment proof against adverse clima¬
tic conditions. These same Army-Navy
specifications govern the treatment now
offered, which includes the coating of
projector and amplifier component and
wiring with a special fungus-inhibiting
material.
“The “tropicalization” process, as it is
termed, is recommended for treating
equipment destined for the export mar¬
ket or for use in the United States where
ever the climate is excessively humid. It
is applicable both to new Filmosounds
and to those already in use, and can be
arranged through the factory or through
any Bell & Howell branch office.
New Camera Kit Case
G. Gennert announces introduction of
a camera kit case, which is claimed to
combine unusual elements of utility. Case
has ample room for camera, filters, lens
shade, light meter and other accessories;
and is equipped with a long strap for
carrying convenience.
Beauty, Brevity, Beach
(Continued from Page 324)
From the more technical standpoint,
don’t forget to mix lots of closeups with
your long shots, and keep the camera
steady at all times. Remember, too, the
added intensity of light at the beach
with the sand and water acting as re¬
flectors to the already bright rays of the
sun. Stop the lens way down to com¬
pensate, or use a filter for more contrast
or dramatic sky effects, if you’re not
using color film. Should you have access
to a lens shade, by all means use it to
keep stray light away. And be extremely
cautious about preventing sand and
water from entering the lens, but if
some should unavoidably appear, wipe it
off with a piece of soft, lintless cloth,
or lens tissue . . . never a handkerchief.
In conclusion, if you watch your
chances, think fast, and act the same
way, remembering to keep that human
interest approach uppermost in mind,
you’ll probably come up with one of the
grandest movies you ever filmed. Comes
the long, dreary winter evenings, then,
you can slink back in the comfort of
your favorite easy chair, and relive over
and over again on your home movie
screen, those precious moments of the
past, which otherwise are just part of
a fleeting holiday.
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American Cinematographer • September, 1946 335
Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 320)
consider the matter of locale. For ex¬
ample, if Sequence A and Sequence D
are to be shot in locations that are
close together, it would be wise to sched¬
ule them for shooting consecutively in
order to save time in transportation.
Once the shooting schedule has been
set up and approved, it should be rigidly
adhered to throughout the shooting of
the picture. A well-defined schedule will
result in a smoothly functioning pro¬
duction.
The Budget
No matter how much highbrow film¬
makers may rave on about “Art for
Art’s Sake” and the observation that
“money does not make the picture,” the
fact remains that in the making of any
film there will be certain necessary ex¬
penses. In the case of the home movie,
financial outlay may simply involve the
cost of the film with processing in¬
cluded. On the other hand, a commer¬
cial or documentary film may involve
sets, cast, technicians, processing and
film running into thousands of dollars
worth of expense.
The objective of the intelligent film¬
maker is to get the most apparent 'pro¬
duction value into his picture with the
smallest possible cash outlay. This can
be accomplished if a practical budget
is drawn up beforehand, and if over¬
elaborate tricks are avoided.
An essential step in budget-planning
is to get actual cash estimates on every
expenditure that must be made. These
can be had by speaking in advance to
the technicians and craftsmen involved,
finding out from them just what each
item will cost, and asking them for sug¬
gestions to help keep the film within its
budget. Try to get these estimates down
to the penny, and then allow an addi¬
tional 10 to 15 per cent for unforeseen
expenditures.
Avoid effects or devices that will in¬
volve a great deal of expense. Usually,
if some thought is applied to the prob¬
lem, ways can be found to achieve a
similar effect without stretching the
budget.
Backgrounds are very important, not
only as a story-telling element, but as
a way to add pictorial quality to your
film. They should never be merely
thrown in because they are pretty; al¬
ways the background should be moti¬
vated by the dramatic requirements of
the scene. Nor is it necessary for ef¬
fective backgrounds to involve a great
deal of expense. Remember that in¬
terior backgrounds cost money because
they require artificial lighting. There¬
fore, try to slant your action so that
as much of it as possible can logically
be filmed outdoors.
Almost any location boasts outdoor
locales that would fit perfectly into the
filming of the picture you had planned.
It may be necessary to hunt up these
settings by means of scouting trips
made in advance. If you do not find
the exact backgrounds required, per¬
haps slight changes in the script will
allow a satisfactory compromise.
If the settings you choose are private
property, it is always a good idea to get
the owner’s permission in advance be¬
fore shooting pictures there. Most lay¬
men are sufficiently fascinated by the
idea of motion picture production that
they readily give their consent just for
the novelty of watching a crew of movie¬
makers at work.
Props and costumes can often be bor¬
rowed, thus saving money on rentals —
although it may take some inquiries in
order to find suitable materials and peo¬
ple who are willing to lend them. Rent¬
als of equipment can be held to a mini¬
mum by intelligent grouping of scenes.
For example, if your script calls for in¬
terior scenes scattered throughout the
script but totalling two weeks of actual
shooting time, it is wise to schedule all
these interiors for filming consecutively
so that lighting equipment need only
be rented for that two-week period.
Film costs, of course, vary with the
type of motion picture that is being
made. If you are shooting a home
movie, it is convenient to shoot reversa-
ble film which is sold with the process¬
ing charge included. If, on the other
hand, you are shooting a production or
commercial type film (especially one
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sion. (2) Almost any speed range. (3) Processes
any type film . . . 35mm, 16mm, color, black and
white, positive, negative, reversal or microfilm.
. . i hi 1 1
SALES OFFICE: 8460 SANTA MONICA BLVD., LOS
ANGELES 46, CALIFORNIA • FACTORY: SAN DIEGO
336 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
that is later to be sound scored), you
will want to use negative film from
which multiple duplicate prints can be
made. The processing of negative stock
is usually not included in the purchase
price, so you must count on an extra
laboratory fee.
If your picture is of a commercial or
semi-professional nature, you may be
entitled to a professional discount on
film amounting to as high as 25 per cent.
This is especially true when you pur¬
chase film in large quantities. Your
local wholesale film dealer will be able
to tell you whether or not you are en¬
titled to the discount.
Remember that it is not money in
itself that makes the picture, but rather
how intelligently the budget is applied
to finance the effects called for in the
script.
The Final Conference
Just before shooting is scheduled to
begin, it is advisable for the producer
to call his cast and crew together for a
last minute conference. It is at this
time that all the loose ends of produc¬
tion can be drawn tightly together and
any final problems settled.
The producer will do well to briefly
go over each sequence again, sketching
its details and pointing out how the
various effects are to be achieved. The
production should be discussed as a
unit, not as a mass of disconnected
scenes. The producer should indicate
how each scene and sequence is calcu¬
lated to blend into the others — so that
his crew will constantly think of the
film in terms of its overall pattern.
It is at this time, also, that the pro¬
ducer should review every unusual effect
that is to be required. If there is any
question as to procedure, he will clarify
the issue. If there are several opinions
concerning the execution of an effect, it
is best to discuss the problem from
every viewpoint and adopt the best sug¬
gestion.
Most important of all, there should
be no doubt in the minds of any of the
technicians as to just what is required.
Each member of the crew should know
exactly what his job will call for during
each phase of shooting. It is well, also,
to make a last minute check to see that
all sets, props, cast members, etc., will
be available when scheduled.
Ready to Shoot
If pre-production planning has been
carried out carefully and with atten¬
tion to detail, the actual shooting of the
picture should be relatively easy and
uncomplicated. Studying his script and
dope sheets before each day’s shooting,
8 Enl»ged 16 Reduced g
Geo. W. Colburn Laboratory
Special Motion Picture Printing
164 NORTH WACKER DRIVE
CHICAGO 6, ILL.
the director will know in advance just
what is to be done the next day. If his
crew is similarly well-oriented, there
will be no indecision on the set, nor
costly hold-ups in shooting, nor ill-ad¬
vised compromises arrived at on the
spur of the moment because some detail
of planning was overlooked.
The director has presumably re¬
hearsed the action of each scene with
his actors before arriving on the set,
but there will, of course, have to be
rehearsals just before shooting so that
the lighting, camerawork, sound, and
other technical details can be co-ordi¬
nated with the action.
If the film is later to be sound-nar¬
rated, it is wise to read the words of
the narration aloud during rehearsals
of each scene so that the action can be
keyed to the narration.
The director’s assistant should make
sure that all elements of the scene, hu¬
man or otherwise, are available on the
set before shooting is scheduled to be¬
gin. Last minute dashes to secure per¬
sonnel or properties never help to make
for a smooth-running shooting routine.
Pre-production planning is of para¬
mount importance to the success or fail¬
ure of a motion picture. On it will de¬
pend whether the resulting film is a
cinematic hodge-podge or a fine piece of
entertainment. The advanced amateur
and semi-professional film-maker can
profit by adapting for his own use the
pre-shooting routines followed in the
professional film studios. Such care in
planning cannot help but show up fa¬
vorably on the screen.
NEXT ISSUE: Part IV— Direction.
Lamp Pioneer Passes
J. E. Macauley, founder and president
of Macauley Manufacturing Co. died in
Chicago on August 21st after a brief ill¬
ness. He was a pioneer in the theatre
and studio lighting fields, and widely
known in motion picture equipment and
engineering fields.
Nunan Cited by Navy
J. Kneeland Nunan, west coast man¬
ager of professional motion picture sales
for Ansco Division of General Aniline
and Film Corp., recently received the
highest civilian award given by the Navy
— the Medal For Merit. Presentation was
made by Vice Admiral J. B. Oldendorf.
AURICON CINE-SPECIAL MOTOR DRIVE
provides synchronous 24 frame a second camera operation from 115 volt, 60
cycle A.C., or the Auricon Portable Power Supply. (50 cycle drive also avail¬
able.) Can be used with "double system" sound-on-film recording equipment
for making synchronized talking pictures. Prompt delivery. Price $145.00
E. M. BERNDT CORP.
7377 BEVERLY BOULEVARD
LOS ANGELES 3 6, CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND - ON - FILM RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931
American Cinematographer • September, 1946
337
Hillyer Promoted by B&H NEW BLIMP FOR EK CINE SPECIAL CAMERAS
W. D. Hillyer has been appointed as¬
sistant advertising manager for Bell &
Howell, according to announcement by
president J. H. McNabb. He will con¬
tinue to handle public relations work for
the company.
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
PRECISION PHOTO LENSES
An American Product Since 1899
46 YEARS IN THE FRONT LINE OF
PHOTO-OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
Because of their excellence in performance in all
branches of photography, in war or peace, the
demand for them has tremendously increased.
It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
backlog of orders, for so many different types
and sizes, and build up our war-depleted stock
for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest passible deliv¬
ery we urge you to place NOW through your
dealer your order for the lens you have selected.
You will be repaid for your patience manifold
with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
REMEMBER:
For making first-class pictures, a
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
lens will give you a lifetime of pleasure
The c. p. GOERZ AMERICAN
OPTICAL COMPANY
OFFICE AND FACTORY
317 East 34th St., New York 16, N. Y.
AC-9
The new 16 mm. blimp designed by Camera Equip¬
ment Co. for EK Cine Specials. Below is cut-away
view showing extra-heavy insulation for complete silent
operation.
The “Professional Junior" 16 mm.
blimp, a new Dow Metal blimp made
especially for Eastman Kodak Cine Spe¬
cial Cameras, and fully insulated for ab¬
solutely and completely silent operation,
is now ready for immediate distribution,
it was announced by Frank C. Zucker
of Camera Equipment Company.
This new blimp has many exclusive
features, among which are follow focus
attachment for changing lens calibra¬
tions while the camera is in operation,
viewing magnifier mounted on top of
blimp for focusing while camera is
RENTALS
SALES
SERVICE
t Mitchell— Bell & Howell
► (USED) (USED)
► Standard, Silenced, N.C., Hi-Speed, Process,
£ and Eyemo Cameras.
► Fearless Blimps and Panoram Dollys —
► Synchronizers — Moviolas
t 35mm Double System Recording Equipment —
£ Cutting Room Equipment
i WE SPECIALIZE in SEMIS WORK on
i MITCHELL ml SOL l HOWELL CAMERAS
Cable ClflCOUIP /"’nitirNfi r«Aiw c. SWCKCH
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mounted in blimp, arrangement for open¬
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focusing from the outside of the blimp,
pilot lights to illuminate lens calibra¬
tions and film footage indicator. It takes
synchronous motor drive which couples
to camera, and has a leather carrying
handle mounted at the top.
/ — ; - \
• Cineflex, 3 lens Turret camera, 6 and. 24
volt motors, 3 quality fast lenses, magazine,
cables, tripod with pan and tilthead. .$1475
• Akeley Newsreel camera, 3 sets of lenses,
6 magazines, 3 carrying cases, gyro tri¬
pod . $675
• Eymo 35 mm. camera, FI. 9 lens . $355
9 Eymo with F2.5 lens . $315
• Eymo Spider Turret with 3 lenses . $895
Tripod, profes. Jr., Fibre case, $115 extra
• Eymo Turret model 71-Q, 3 lenses, 400 ft.
magazine, 7 speed and hand crank.. $1575
12 volt motor $75 extra
• Bell & Howell Tripod, pan & tilt head . $45
• Lenses— rare quality and various types.
• Mounting at reasonable prices.
• Repairs, conversions and equipment built
for experimenters, etc., for professional and
amateur.
• Strong, etc. Lamphouses at 50% off list-
off list.
• 16 mm. Nelson sound, silent bench printer,
profes., with motor and light box . $850
• Duplex 35 mm. contact printer complete,
like new, with motor, light boxes, pins
etc., ready for use . $495
• Neumade, new stripping flanges, 16 mm.
or 35 mm., 400 ft. — $4.75; 1000 ft . $6.75
• 35mm. Reels, 1000 ft.— 27c; 2000 ft. ..$1.25
• Victor Animatophone 16 mm. sound on film
projection outfits, model 40-B complete
silghtly used . $315
• DeBrie cameras, all models, including
accessories at attractive prices.
• Trade-ins accepted. We pay highest prices,
buy everything in still and motion field.
Send list or equipment for our best cash
offers.
• Used 35 mm. Film Recorder Glow lamp
type with quartz lenses, amplifier, micro¬
phone, 400 ft. magazines, amplifier cases,
complete . $295
• 16 mm. custom built recorder, 400 ft. mag¬
azine, amplifier, motor, phones, ready for
use, variable density . $475
• 35 mm. sound track printer 1000 ft. film
capacity with motor, mercury switch, com¬
plete . $245
• 35 mm. Model D Movieola with Spotting
scope and microscopic attachment stand¬
ard. Also fits other Movieola models for
critical checking, etc. Like new, with foot
switch, 6 reels, extra lamp, belt, etc.,
combination carrying or shipping case $495
• 2 RCA 35 mm. portable sound projectors
completely overhauled, new speaker, am¬
plifier and cables, ready for use Model
PP-15, 1000 ft. film capacity each. Complete
outfit . $575
• 2 — RCA same as above, but with 2000 ft.
film capacity Model PP-17, complete
unit . $695
• All aluminum collapsible dolly for 8-16-
35mm and still, new . $14.50
• 1946 Model DeYry brand new. 2000 ft. port¬
able sound on film Projectors with ampli¬
fier and speaker, in original cases - $1175
Many Other Hard-to-Get Items
Inquiries Invited
MOGULL'S
FILM & CAMERA
EXCHANGE
NEW YORK, N. Y.
338 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
The Camera and Production
(Continued from Page 314)
was to do. Director Hecht, who is ad¬
mittedly short on knowledge of camera
technicalities, left this phase of the
work entirely to Garmes — with singu¬
larly happy results.
The camera approach to “Specter of
the Rose” was carefully calculated to
extract every ounce of meaning from
each scene, to inject action into what is
essentially a dialogue story, and to in¬
fuse the entire production with a rich¬
ness and quality identifiable as produc¬
tion value.
Camera movement was used sparingly,
unobtrusively, and in such a way as to
aid the film in its forward movement.
The principle camera problem was dra¬
matic rather than photographic, stem¬
ming from the fact that the two lead¬
ing players (dancers Ivan Kirov and
Viola Essen) were enacting their first
screen roles and tended to be a bit stiff
and awkward at times. It was up to
the cinematographer to minimize that
awkwardness by means of clever light¬
ing and camera placement. For exam¬
ple, if in one scene a player found that
she “didn’t know what to do with her
hands,” the cameraman would move his
camera closer or throw the scene into
low-key or silhouette in order to detract
attention from the hands.
Throughout the film low-ceilinged
sets were used, a device that usually
promises a major photographic head¬
ache. However, cinematographer Garmes,
who has previously used low ceilings in
such films as “Guest in the House” and
“Love Letters,” took this handicap in
his well-practiced stride. Wherever pos¬
sible, he duplicated source lighting, thus
adding realism to his lensing, while
maintaining a certain soft rotogravure
richness. In this way he succeeded in
preserving much of the inherent glam¬
our bound up with the world of ballet.
The settings in the picture, while not
elaborate, lent themselves easily to un¬
usual composition and atmospheric light¬
ing. The aforementioned ceilinged sets
allowed for dramatic low angles. The
ballet scenes, designed with striking
simplicity, were handsomely lighted in
a graphic style that made full use of
black and white contrast.
It is interesting to note that in the
ballet sequences the audience was not
once shown, although its presence was
strongly suggested by off-screen ap¬
plause. Every angle in this sequence
was designed from the backstage point
of view, well in keeping with the
theme of what was, after all, a back-
stage story.
Speaking of the relationship between
the camera and production value, Lee
Garmes observes: “The camera can pro¬
duce an aura of quality by pointing up
the strong points of the production,
while at the same time minimizing its
inadequacies. The result depends upon
a happy blending of composition, light¬
ing and camera movement. I believe
in under-lighting in order to stimulate
the audience’s imagination. Correct use
of low-key, silhouette and shadow al¬
lows the audience to complete in its
own mind the idea that the writer and
director are trying to put across. To
light a set brilliantly in order to show
everything at once would destroy that
effect.”
Thus, production value depends in
great measure upon correct camera em¬
phasis and atmospheric lighting, as well
as upon making the most efficient use
of the materials at hand, be they lavish
or modest. Careful pre-planning in
every phase of production, teamwork
between director and cinematographer,
plus the engaging of top-notch techni¬
cians — all of these factors figure heav¬
ily in the impression of quality that
reaches the screen. The producers of
“Specter of the Rose” have proved that
it is these elements and not towering
budgets that create production value.
Europa Represents Ampro
Europa Films of Stockholm will dis¬
tribute Ampro products in Denmark,
Norway, Sweden, and Finland, under deal
recently concluded in Chicago by Harry
Monson, vice president and general sales
manager of Ampro, with Europa officials
— president Scheutz, production director
Bengt Janzon, and chief engineer Harry
Holm.
/
/ want to buy your
• Confax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
Camera Co.
179 w. MADISON ST.,
CHICAGO 2, ILL.
Don't Forget to Buy
CHRISTMAS SEALS
This Year
FOR LIGHT ON EASTERN PRODUCTION --
C. ROSS
For Lighting Equipment
As solo distributors East of the Mississippi we carry the full and
complete line of latest-type Inkie and H.I.-Arc equipment
manufactured by
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Hollywood - California
Your requirements for interior or exterior locations taken care
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RENTALS SALES SERVICE
☆
CHARLES ROSS, Inc.
333 West 52nd St, Now York. N.Y. Phonos: Circle 6-5470-1
American Cinematographer • September, 1946
339
Current Assignments
As this issue of American Cinema¬
tographer goes to press, assignments of
A.S.C. members as Directors of Photo¬
graphy on current productions shooting
in the Hollywood studios are as follows:
EYEMO CAMERAS
Single lens, electric motor single lens,
compact turret, focusing models motor
driven, lenses, positive finders. 6" fixed
focus Eyemax F4.5 lens $64.50 each.
Cooke-Astro Primoplan lenses.
Arriflex 200 foot capacity 35MM. cam¬
era, 12 volt motor attached, Hi-Hat,
12 volt plastic lightweight battery, tri¬
pod, complete. Astro — Primoplan — Sum-
mar — Biotar coated lenses.
Cinephon 200 foot news camera, 6 volt
motor, complete. Cinephon 1000 foot
silenced ' studio camera, fine lenses, 12
volt motor, tripod.
Cinephon studio 35MM. camera, built-
in focusinq ground glass, dissolving shut¬
ter, tachometer, converted to take 1000
foot Mitchell magazaines, 12 volt motor,
Astro and Primoplan lenses FI. 5 to F2.3.
Stock of fast motion picture lenses.
Silent and sound projectors.
WE BUY — TRADE— REPAIR— DESIGN
16 MM. AND 35MM. EQUIPMENT.
CAMERAMART
70 WEST 45TH STREET NEW YORK
Cable: CAMERAMART
of A. S. C. Members
Columbia
Rudy Mate, “Down to Earth,” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Rita Hayworth, Larry
Parks, Marc Patt, Edward Everett Hor¬
ton, James Gleason.
Leo Tover, “Dead Reckoning,” with
Humphrey Bogart and Lizabeth Scott.
Burnett Guffey, “Johnny O’Clock,”
with Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes.
Joseph Walker, “My Empty Heart,”
with Rosalind Russell, Melvyn Douglas,
Sid Caesar.
Henry Freulich, “Mr. District Attor¬
ney,” with Dennis O’Keefe, Adolphe
Menjou, Michael O’Shea, Marguerite
Chapman, George Coulouris.
Allen Siegler, “Blondie’s Big Moment,”
with Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake,
Anita Louise, Larry Simms.
Hal Roach
John Boyle, “The Fabulous Joe,”
(Cinecolor), with Walter Abel, Margot
Grahame, Marie Wilson.
Golden Gate-Screen Guild
Fred Mandl, “My Dog Shep,” with
Tom Neal, Lanny Rees, William Farnum.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Charles Schoenbaum, “Summer Holi¬
day,” (Technicolor) , with Mickey Rooney,
Gloria DeHaven, Walter Huston, Frank
Morgan.
Robert Surtees, “Unfinished Dance,”
(Technicolor), with Margaret O’Brien,
Cyd Charisse, Danny Thomas.
Karl Freund, “This Time For Keeps,”
(Technicolor), with Esther Williams,
Johnnie Johnston, Jimmy Durante, Laur-
itz Mechoir, Xavier Cugat.
Hal Rosson, “Life’s For the Loving,”
with Gene Kelly, Marie McDonald, Char¬
les Winninger, Spring Byington.
Charles Salerno, “The Arnelo Affair,”
with John Hodiak, Frances Gifford,
George Murphy.
Robert Planck, “It Happened in Brook¬
lyn,” with Frank Sinatra, Kathryn
Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Dur¬
ante.
Paul Vogel, “Merton of the Movies,”
with Red Skelton, Virginia O’Brien,
Buster Keaton.
Monogram
Henry Sharp, “It Happened on Fifth
Avenue,” with Ann 'Harding, Victor
Moore.
Harry Neumann, “Mr. Hex,” with Leo
Gorcey, Gale Robbins.
James Brown, Jr., “Ginger,” with
Frank Albertson, Barbara Reed.
Paramount
George Barnes, “Emperor Waltz,”
(Technicolor), with Bing Crosby, Joan
Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson,
Sig Ruman.
Lionel Lindon, “My Favorite Brunet¬
te,” with Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour,
Peter Lorre, Charles Dingle, Lon Chaney.
Ray Rennahan, “Unconquered,” (Tech¬
nicolor, Cecil DeMille Prod.) with Gary
Cooper, Paulette Goddard, Howard Da¬
Silva, Cecil Kelaway, Ward Bond, Kath¬
erine DeMille.
Daniel Fapp, “Golden Earrings,” with
Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, Murvyn
Vye, Bruce Lester, Mikhail Rasumny,
Quentin Reynolds.
Ernest Laszlo, “Dear Ruth,” with Joan
Caulfied, William Holden, Edward Arn¬
old.
Eagle-Lion
Clyde De Vinna, “It’s A Joke, Son,”
with Kenny Delmar, Una Merkel, June
Lockhart.
L. William O’Connell, “When the Devil
Drives,” with James Caldwell, Jan Ford.
RKO
Milton Krasner, “Katie for Congress,”
with Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten,
Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford,
Anna Q. Nilsson.
Nick Musuraca, “The Bachelor and the
Bobby-Soxer,” with Cary Grant, Myrna
Loy, Shirley Temple, Rudy Vallee.
Roy Hunt, “Trail Street,” with Ran¬
dolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys.
Harry Wild, “They Won’t Believe Me,”
with Robert Young, Susan Hayward.
Frank Redman, “San Quentin,” with
Lawrence Tierney, Marian Carr.
Sol Polito, “A Time To Kill,” (Hakim-
Litvak Prod.) with Henry Fonda, Bar¬
bara Bel Geddes.
20th Century-Fox
Norbert Brodine, “13 Rue Madeleine,”
with James Cagney, Annabella, Frank
Latimore, Richarde Conte, Paul von Zer-
neck.
Arthur Arling,“Home Stretch,” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Cornel Wilde, Maureen
O’Hara.
Charles Clarke, “Bob, Son of Battle,”
(Technicolor), with Peggy Ann Garner,
Lon McCallister, Edmund Gwenn.
Ernest Palmer, “I Wonder Who’s
Kissing Her Now,” (Technicolor), with
June Haver, Mark Stevens, Reginald
Gardiner, Martha Stewart.
United Artists
James Van Trees, “The Fabulous Dor¬
seys,” (Charles Rogers Prod.) with Tom¬
my Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Janet Blair,
Paul Whiteman.
Fred Jackman, Jr. “Adventures of
Don Coyote,” (Cinecolor) (Comet Prod.)
with Richard Martin, Frances Rafferty.
William Mellor, “Carnegie Hall,” (Fed¬
eral Films), with Marsha Hunt, William
Prince, Martha O’Driscoll, Jascha Heif¬
etz, Bruno Water, Artur Rodzinski, Lily
Pons, Rise Stevens, Jan Peerce, Walter
Damrosch.
Franz Planer, “Vendetta,” (California
Pictures), with deGeorge, Hillary
Brooke, Faith Domergue, Nigel Bruce, J.
Carrol Naish.
Mack Stengler, “Whispering Walls,”
(Hopalong Cassidy Prod.) with William
Boyd, Andy Clyde, Randy Brooks, Una
O’Connor.
Universal-International
Russell Metty, “Arch of Triumph,”
(Enterprise) with Ingrid Bergman,
(Continued on Page 342)
340 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Central American Tour
(Continued from Page 330)
city of San Salvador, there is not much
more of interest here for the filmer.
Filming in Honduras
Honduras, I would skip at this time,
for the hotel accommodations in Tegu¬
cigalpa are really terrible. There is noth¬
ing very outstanding about this city ex¬
cept a few little crooked streets and the
Parque Concordia, but this is really out¬
standing and has some wonderful re¬
plicas of the Mayan Temples. I made
some beautiful shots here. Transporta¬
tion is very difficult in Honduras and the
only way to get from one part to the
other is by plane, for the country is very
mountainous, there are no railroads, and
the roads outside the city are very poor.
Nicaragua is another country I
wouldn’t bother about visiting at pres¬
ent, for if you do, you stand a chance
of getting malaria and in addition the
hotel accommodations are not too good
and the country is very hot and humid.
Volcanos and Ox-Carts of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is your next stop and is a
country you will use a lot of film in. The
country itself is very beautiful, and there
are two volcanos, Poas and Irazu, that
make very good subjects for filming. But
the outstanding thing in Costa Rica is
the decorated ox-carts you see along the
roads, with teams of oxen pulling them.
Don’t forget to go out to Sarshi, for
here you can film scenes in the factory
where they make and decorate them.
They usually have a few finished carts,
or as they call them, craetas, that make
very good close-ups. Don’t forget when
you go out to Heredia, to shoot the pic¬
turesque swimming pool at Oja De Agua.
There is a large waterfall at one end of
the pool and all around are beautiful
trees and flowers. If you can arrange
your visit out here on a weekend, you
will get some very beautiful film. I shot
100 feet of this one spot alone.
Filming in Panama
Panama is your next stop. You can
now photograph anything here except
the canal or the military installations
on it. The streets of Panama are worth
300 or 400 feet of film, and Old Panama
about another 200 feet if you have lots
of film with you. If you go to Colon, and
you probably will, I suggest you drive
over the military highway through the
jungle, as there are many typical jungle
scenes along it that are very good.
There is nothing very much of inter¬
est in Colon, except the fact that you
will find more night clubs and bars to
the mile than probably any other part of
(he world, for about every second estab¬
lishment is either a bar or a night club.
After you have looked over the town I
suggest you go to the Washington Hotel
for lunch. This is one of the nicest ho¬
tels in Central America. After lunch,
take a walk and you will get some nice
shots of the swimming pool and the
beach.
There you have a brief story of the
filming possibilities of the countries of
Central America. I hope the information
I have given will help you bring back
some real pictures of your trip to Cen¬
tral America.
Eastman Kodak
Ektachrome
Eastman Kodak has just announced a
new color cut film, which will be market¬
ed under name of Kodak Ektachrome.
Developed during the war for the armed
forces, Kodak Ektachrome will allow for
simple and satisfactory processing by the
developer himself in his own workroom.
According to company announcement, it
will be available in all present Koda-
chrome sheet film sizes, and in types for
both artificial and daylight illumination,
and will require 90 minutes for complete
development.
The new color film is expected to par¬
ticularly benefit news, syndicate, com¬
mercial and illustrative photographers
who desire to check on results quickly.
Kodachrome professional prints and full-
color prints made by the Kodak dye
transfer method may be made from Ek¬
tachrome film, it is stated.
Eastman Kodak makes no mention of
early or distant-future availability of
Ektachrome for motion picture purposes.
And no one should become optimistic in
anticipating the stock in either 35mm.
or 16mm. rolls — Eastman Kodak will be
the most competent judge of such a
move, which naturally will be based both
on manufacturing facilities and quality
of the product.
EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS.
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
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fig
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MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Used in Every Major Studio
Illustrated Literature on Requeit
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
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RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
Rents . . . Sells . . . Exchanges
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION
of Motion Pictures Provided
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LENSES for Today
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BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • September, 1946 341
SMPE Lining Up Program for
Hollywood Convention
Under the guidance of William C.
Kunzmann, convention vice president,
plants for the 60th semi-annual conven¬
tion of the Society of Motion Picture
Engineers to be held in Hollywood Octo¬
ber 21st to 25th, are rapidly being for¬
mulated. The regulation get-together
luncheon will open the convention on
opening day, with dinner-dance slated
for evening of Oct. 23rd. At the latter,
seven citations will be presented to indi¬
viduals, firms and producers for out¬
standing achievement in the field of
motion picture sound coincident with the
20th anniversary of sound films.
Daytime technical sessions will be held
at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, and
a large proportion of the technical pa¬
pers on new techniques and equipment
of motion picture engineering have al¬
ready been scheduled.
Telefilm's Eight Years
Telefilm Studios of Hollywood, special¬
izing in 16 mm. production and process¬
ing, celebrated its eighth anniversary
last month. From initial organization of
three, company has grown to include
eight departments and permanent staff
of 40.
McKINLEY
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MOVIE FILMS WANTED- Original sport films,
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WE Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras, Projectors, Lab¬
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mm. We pay highest prices. Carry one of the
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JACK D. LEPPERT, cinematographer, profes¬
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footage — 16mm. color shorts economically pro¬
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CAMERA & SOUND MEN
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Current Assignments
(Continued from Page 340)
Charles Boyer, Louis Calhern, Michael
Chekhov, J. Edward Bromberg.
George Robinson, “Flame of Tripoli,”
(Technicolor) with Yvonne DeCarlo,
George Brent, Brod Crawford, Andy De-
vine, Lois Collier, Arthur Treacher, Al¬
bert Dekker.
Hal Mohr, “I’ll Be Yours,” with De¬
anna Durbin, Tom Drake, Wiliam Ben-
dix.
Warners
Ernest Haller, “Deception,” with Bette
Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains.
Joe Valentine, “Possessed,” with Joan
Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey,
Geraldine Brooks.
James Wong Howe, “Pursued,”
(United States Pictures) with Teresa
Wright, Robert Mitchum, Judith Ander¬
son, Alan Hale.
342 September, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Eastman Fine Grain
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VOL. 27
OCTOBER, 1946
NO. 10
CONTENTS
The Staff
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
Aces of the Camera (Irving Ries, A.S.C.) . By W. G. C. Bosco 351
Greatest Photographic Organization in History Shot Bikini
Blasts . By Major Gilbert Warrenton, A.S.C. 352
An Ace Heads East . By Herb Lightman 354
New Filter Technique for Color Photography by Ray Rennahan, A.S.C. 356
The Cinema Workshop (4. Direction) . By Charles Loring 360
Society of Motion Picture Engineers Convention in Hollywood,
October 21-25 . . .
Titling Is What You Make It . By James R. Oswald
Among the Movie Clubs .
Mitchell’s New 16MM. Professional Camera .
Houston Announces New Camera Dolly .
Current Assignments of A. S. C. Members .
362
370
372
376
382
384
ON THE FRONT COVER — Director Cecil B. DeMille (holding rope)
rehearses a scene with Paulette Goddard for the Paramount Technicolor
production, “Unconquered.” Director of Photography Ray Rennahan is
directly behind DeMille checking the action.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan. Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Garmes Joseph Walker
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse, A.S.C.
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
•
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
•
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman. A.S.C.
John Arnold. A.S.C.
Arthur Edeson. A.S.C.
Lee Garmes. A.S.C.
Charles Rosher, A.S.C.
Leon Shamroy, A.S.C.
Fred Gage. A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A.S.C.
Dr. L. A. Jones. A.S.C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A.S.C.
Dr. W. B. Rayon, A.S.C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A.S.C.
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions : United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year ; Canada, $2.75
per year; Foreign, $3.50. Single copies, 25e;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies, 35c,
back numbers, 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
348
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
FREDERICK K. ROCKETT
", . . on industry has come of age.”
Pioneer
The 16 mm. camera was still a nov¬
elty when Frederick K. Rockett first
realized its commercial potentiali¬
ties. A pioneer in the business film
field, Rockett has for twenty-two
years been actively engaged in pro¬
ducing commercial, industrial and
documentary films. Appreciative of
technical advancements, he has this
to say concerning the Mitchell 16
mm. Professional Camera:
“A truly professional camera of
this type has long been needed. The
days of inferior photography in 16
mm. productions are over — for an
industry has come of age. The
growth of the 16 mm. film industry
has made technical perfection a
‘must.’ Being well aware of the part
Mitchell Cameras have played in
the improvement of 35 mm. photog¬
raphy, I feel certain that the Mit¬
chell ‘16’ will contribute in a similar
manner to the prestige of 16 mm.
motion pictures.”
The New “ Mitchell 16"
The Mitchell 16 mm. Professional
Camera was designed to bring a
new standard of quality to 16 mm.
productions. It is a professional
camera in every sense of the word.
Rugged, dependable, built to last a
lifetime, the Mitchell “16” will be
the choice of producers and cinema¬
tographers who require perfection.
Photographic Perfection . . .
made possible by MITCHELL
The photographic perfection of the modern cinema depends
upon precision equipment, operating smoothly, accurately,
under positive control. Today, as 25 years ago, the Mitchell
Camera is the choice of major studios — for only with a
Mitchell is it possible to obtain the clarity and fidelity which
makes the motion picture a perfect medium for education,
information and entertainment.
★ 85% of motion pictures shown in theatres
throughout the world were filmed by a Mitchell Camera
Tripod Heads Unconditionally Guaranteed 5 Years
Gear Drive
0@IKIM TOKIQ®®
Removable Head Tripods
D)W
STANDARD BASE (LEGS)
For both Gear Drive and Friction
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heights Of 72" high -42" low.
Fluted lock knobs on each leg
for positive easy wrist-action ad¬
justments. Non-warping wood
legs have metal spur feet and
tie-down rings.
★ S-L-O-W, super-smooth panning or dynamic action shots are
achieved only when the camera itself is kept rock-steady. A
rugged, sturdy and versatile tripod is the only answer. That’s
why “PROFESSIONAL JUNIOR” tripods, designed by
professional craftsmen, precision made of the finest mate-
\
rials are the finest available. Interchangeable, both
the Gear Drive and Friction type heads can be used on
our Standard Base (Legs), “Hi-Hat” low-base adaptor
and Baby (all-metal) tripod.
★ All leading professional studios and newsreel companies
use “PROFESSIONAL JUNIOR” tripods. These tripods
handle all 16mm movie cameras and
35mm hand-held type movie cameras
even when equipped with motors
and over-sized film magazines;
and fine “view” still cameras.
Before purchasing any tripod
see “PROFESSIONAL JU¬
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Complete details about our
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accessories in an 8-page
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today!
FRICTION TYPE HEAD
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? AM ERA E(
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ACES of the CAMERA
IRVING RIES, A. S. C.
By W. C. C. BOSCO
IN the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
at Culver City the department of
Special Camera Effects is familiarly
known as the “Ries Department.” In
fact, if you were to ask for it by any
other name it is doubtful if anyone
could direct you. This designation is
an unconscous tribute to the personal¬
ity and talents of the man who, in
1924, founded the department — the first
of its kind in Hollywood — and who is
still its guiding genius: Irving Ries,
A.S.C.
In this department are created all the
“trick” shots and effects that come with¬
in the province of the camera, as op¬
posed to process shots and miniatures.
And under the personal supervision of
Irving Ries passes the entire output of
the M-G-M Studios; features and shorts
alike. Here the dissolves are made, and
the titles superimposed over moving back¬
grounds, as well as the more intricate
camera-magic that created such comment
provoking illusions as those seen in the
Lon Cheney pictures, the earthquake
sequence in “San Francisco,” the dimin¬
utive creatures that Lionel Barrymore
created in “The Devil Doll,” and the
spectacle of Charles Laughton carrying
his own head on a tray in “The Canter-
ville Ghost,” to name but a few.
A lot of pictures have passed through
Irving’s hands since 1924, more than
1200 in fact, not counting short sub¬
jects. And it is safe to assume that no
one man in Hollywood has had his finger
in, and contributed to so many produc¬
tions.
Even before 1924, though, Irving had
piled up quite a reputation for himself
as a cameraman and had enjoyed a
career highlighted with that sparkle of
adventure that must come to all pioneers
to spice their sometimes cheerless way.
Irving got his taste for motion pic¬
tures in 1907 when he was servng his
novitiate as an usher in an Akron nick¬
elodeon. It wasn’t much of a job, but it
did give him a chance to help the projec¬
tionist crank the projector once in a
while. In fact it was that worthy who
unconsciously put the young Ries on the
road to success. “Boy! I’d sure like to
make pictures like that,” Irving told him.
“Well,” the projectionist rejoined, “all
you need is a camera.”
This sounded like sage advice, and Irv¬
ing promptly bought a camera; an old
Lubin. And spending all his spare money
on film and his spare time in assiduous
practice he became more and more adept
in its use until, in 1911, he felt he could
face the cold, hard world as a camera¬
man.
He elected to start his career in Chi¬
cago, and whether the projectionist in
Akron had spoken in ignorance or deri¬
sion his advice proved to be substantially
true. The first company to receive Irv¬
ing’s application was one calling itself
America’s Feature Film Company. They
were in the middle of a production enti¬
tled, “The Night Riders” and their cam¬
eraman had quit; taking his camera with
him. So Irving, of course, was hailed as
heaven-sent; and after eyeing his cam¬
era carefully to be sure that it would
work, they put him on the payroll.
He followed this with another epic
entitled “Twenty Years in Sing-Sing”
which was not made up the Hudson but
rather in The Dells of Wisconsin, where
the cells in that famous haven of rest
were simulated by placing bars in front
of the concrete walls of the dam as a
concession to the production budget.
But the saving there was probably dis¬
sipated by an accident that occurred dur¬
ing a subsequent scene and further un¬
derlined the hazards a production com¬
pany must run when it has only one
camera.
The scene was set on a railway depot
platform, and the action called for the
pursued to run onto the platform and
board the train as it was moving out. So
far so good. Irving got it all in his trusty
Lubin. Then the bloodhounds were to
burst into view and come bounding along
the platform hot on the trail of the
gents who had just boarded the train.
That was where it happened. Irving
(Continued on Page 378)
American Cinematographer • October, 1946
351
Greatest Photographic Organization
In History Shot Bikini Blast
By MAJOR GILBERT WARRENTON, A. S. C.
(USAAF)
Just a portion of the hundreds of cameras and camera crews that were assembled to photograph the atom
bomb blasts at Bikini. Many production-trained motion picture photographers from Hollywood were on the
expedition.
a nr HREE atom bombs can flat¬
ten Washington, 10 can trans-
form New York into a scrap
of rubble” — that much had been con¬
ceded some months ago, and only two
atom bombs had been used on land tar¬
gets in combat.
With time, tests and experience, it is
difficult to conceive the frightful conse¬
quences of atomic bombing.
To arrive at an appraisal of the ef¬
fects of an atom bomb on naval ships —
and to scientifically register various fac¬
tors of the blast itself and after-effects
— Washington ordered a test to be made
on an array of war ships; and to ac¬
complish this, Joint Army and Navy
Task Force I was activated. Time, early
in May (before it was postponed to
July 1st) ; place Bikini atoll in the
Pacific Ocean.
In planning and setting up the oper¬
ation — one of the most stupendous
peace-time experiments in the entire his¬
tory of the world — motion pictures be¬
came a most important factor. It was
early decided that, only through full
and complete records on film could the
initial blast and the many and varied
results be studied by high miltary lead¬
ers and research scientsts. Result was
the assemblage of the fullest and most
complete photographic unit of motion
picture experts ever brought together —
along with many types and kinds of
cameras.
For air operations, General Arnold,
then Chief of the Army Air Force, se¬
lected General Ramey, Commanding Of¬
ficer of the 58th Wing, which had the
very heavy bombers required for the
task. From the Wing and his personal
knowledge of combat experience, Gen¬
eral Ramey selected personnel. Pilots,
NAV, bombardiers, radar, radio, ground
and air crews, etc. — were hand-picked
from all parts of the United States and
from virtually every air force overseas.
Only the cream of the air force was se¬
lected and pulled into Task Group 1.5.
Assembly point was at Roswell Army
Air Field, Roswell, N. M. Here Head¬
quarters Task Group 1.5, Operations
Crossroads, was established. Here too,
was the terminal of a specialty setup air
line, “The Green Hornet,” which ferried
the tremendous load of personnel from
all corners of the globe, and handled
practically all of the air-freighted equip¬
ment assembled at that point for Cross¬
roads. The Green Hornet insignia be¬
came as familiar across the Pacific air-
lanes as it did all over the United States.
One of the principal requirements
from Task Force was the complete aerial
coverage of the atomic explosions at
Bikini — in addition to making historic
and documentary motion pictures. There
could be no mistakes — a perfect and
complete photographic record of the op¬
eration was necessary for analysis and
evaluation.
To assemble, organize and train such
an Air Foto Unit — and in so short a
time — was a big task. This job, with all
its problems and ramfications, was
handed to Colonel P. T. Cullen by Gen¬
eral Ramey.
Colonel Cullen, a veteran Air Force
pilot-photographer, had experience
stretching back to 1929 when one of his
first assignments was to photograph the
Graf Zeppelin over San Francisco on
its epochal flight around the world. He
has mapped thousands of miles of Alas¬
kan frozen wastes, pioneered over the
Andes of South America, made the ini¬
tial flight on the boundary survey be¬
tween Peru and Ecquador, and partici¬
pated in 52 bombing missions over
Europe.
To this new assignment, which would
be the most elaborately-photographed
event in history, he brought a wealth
of experience, background, and know¬
how; together with the realization that
the success of the project in obtaining
vital information depended on the com¬
plete film coverage which would provide
the permanent records required.
The magnitude of Crossroads required
the best photographers there were — not
only for the usual recon photo work,
but spectographic photo records, radar
pictures, ultra-high-speed motion pic¬
tures, television pictures, photographs
to be made via radio remote control in
the drones (radio-controlled aircraft)
historic and documentary motion pic¬
tures in both black-and-white and color.
Such wide activities in photography ne¬
cessitated most complete and thorough
organization for final accomplishment.
Time was a most important factor.
Time to get personnel — time to find and
draw equipment — time to modify air¬
planes and get camera mounts — and
time for training the personnel.
To his staff as Deputy Commander
for Task Unit 1.52 (as the Air Foto
Unit was designated), Colonel Cullen
brought Lt. Col. Richard S. Leghorn,
MIT graduate, and former physicist for
Eastman Kodak Company. Colonel Leg¬
horn, also a pilot-photographer, had
completed nearly five years in the Air
Force and was many times decorated —
Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross,
Soldiers’ Medal, Air Medal with seven
clusters, Croix de Guerre, Presidential
Citation, and six campaign stars — all in
the European theatre of operations. Hav¬
ing returned to civilian life, he was lit¬
erally drafted for “Crossroads.”
Major Charles F. Wilson, Photo Of¬
ficer and long-time associate of Colonel
Cullen, was assigned the responsibilities
for the photo laboratory to be set up in
Continued on Page 383)
352
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Major Warrenton in tail camera position of a B-29 blast gauge instrument ship (left), which went in four miles off the target and seven miles slant range from
the area to photograph the blast in color. Middle: Installation of a Mitchell camera in a photographing plane. Right: one of the many arrays of cameras set up
in C-54's.
Characteristics of the above-water (left) and below-water (right) atom bomb ex-losions; both taken several seconds after the blast. Note that ships are not visible
in the target area of Bikini harbor due to radio-activity haze which apparently had some effect on the film.
Blast of thft atom bomb, micro-seconds after the detonation over Bikini, created a light of 1,000 suns. Camera was stopped way down and heavily filtered to catch
the micro-second flash. Right, landing of Dave's Dream after dropping the atom bomb. Note the crews of Air Foto Unit cameramen photographing the momentus
event.
AN ACE HEADS EAST
By HERB LIGHTMAN
COME early fall one of Hollywood’s
foremost “Aces of the Camera,”
James Wong Howe, A.S.C. — ex¬
pects to pack his toothbrush and viewing-
glass, climb aboard a trans-Pacific clipper,
and take off for the far-eastern shores
of China. This will be no mere pleasure
jaunt, but the first definite step toward
the realization of a dream Jimmy Howe
has cherished for years, a dream of some
day helping his ancestral land to become
a first-rate power in the world of the
motion picture.
Jimmy is going abroad to supervise
the development of several important
film enterprises to be organized on Chi¬
nese soil, foremost of which is a com¬
pletely equipped commercial processing
laboratory and cinema research center.
This lab — headed by Mr. Walter Woo,
graduate chemist and film specialist —
will form the nucleus of the new Chinese
film industry, providing complete tech¬
nical facilities for the development and
processing of motion picture stock, and
acting as a research institute for the in¬
dustry as a whole. It will offer aid in the
filming of pictures, the standardizing of
theatre equipment and illumination, as
well as the shooting of miniatures and
special effects.
Explaining the scope of the new lab,
Jimmy Howe says: “Our aim is to some
day bring the Chinese film industry up
to American technical standards. New
studios and theatres will have to be built,
new equipment imported, and many more
technicians will have to be trained. It’s
a long-range plan, but we’re working
with a definite goal in sight.”
Limited Chinese Films
The present-day Chinese film industry
is still in the early stages of pioneering.
There are approximately ten motion pic¬
ture studios that produce a total of about
125 pictures a year. But there are a mere
400 theatres to service a population of
more than 450 million people, and these
theatres are located only in the big cities.
In the small towns and villages scattered
throughout the vast interior of China,
movies are virtually unknown; instead
the people rely on the primitive shadow-
play for entertainment.
Up until now, growth of the industry
has been restricted because there was no
central agency to standardize technique
and promote research. The new labora¬
tory will provide these services and thus
benefit the entire industry. In addition it
will offer a new service to aid U. S.
film-makers. Hollywood studios currently
send as many as seven prints of a fea¬
ture picture to China for distribution,
paying individual duty and export costs
on each print. Howe has discussed a
plan with company officials whereby
studios will send just one lavender print
from which the Chinese lab will make a
duplicate negative and as many release
prints as are necessary. Savings to the
film companies on labor, duty, and export
costs should be substantial.
Films For Mass Education
But the commercial lab is only one
part of the vast plan now underway to
make China film-conscious. There is a
formidable job of mass education to be
done and the motion picture is the per¬
fect medium with which to do it. Dr.
James Y. C. Yen, famous Chinese educa¬
tor, only recently left Hollywood after
conferring with Jimmy Howe on the sub¬
ject of a widespread visual education
program in China. On this project, also,
Howe will act as a close advisor when he
arrives in the Orient.
Dr. Yen is well-known for his success¬
ful mass education program which has
brought learning to 60 million previously
illiterate Chinese within the last two
decades. Dr. Yen boiled the formal Chi¬
nese alphabet of 30,000 intricate charac¬
ters down to a basic alphabet of 1,300
simplified characters, and taught millions
of illiterate coolies to read and write
after only 96 hours of actual instruction.
Generalissimo Chiang-Kai-Shek granted
him a million dollars to carry on this
work, and the sum has been greatly in¬
creased by private contributions.
“We are not forsaking our mass edu¬
cation program, but instead are augment¬
ing it through the medium of visual
education,” Dr. Yen stated prior to his
departure. “During World War II we
witnessed the tremendous power of the
motion picture as an educational force.
We saw precious training time cut to
a minimum through the wide usage of
films. It is our intention to bring edu¬
cational pictures to every area of China,
particularly to those areas where the
motion picture is virtually unknown.
This will be accomplished through the
exclusive use of the 16mm. camera and
projector equipment.”
The first films made under this pro¬
gram will be for the purpose of con¬
tinuing the fight against illiteracy, still
China’s foremost stumbling block in the
way of national strength and unity. When
this phase of the educational plan is
well started, other films will be made
on a great variety of academic subjects.
Chinese educators foresee a situation
in which the bulk of classroom instruc¬
tion for every grade of school will be
carried on by means of 16mm. sound
films and film strips.
Government Backs Program
The importance of this planned visual
education program is evidenced by the
James Wong Howe, A.S.C., Anne Sheridan, and Walter Woo, graduate chemist and film specialist — shown
chatting between taWes of the Warner Bros, picture, "The Sentence." Mr. Woo will head the huge commer¬
cial film laboratory to be built in China.
354
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Tieh-Seng Chen, younq technical student, looks on while James Wong Howe, A.S.C., demonstrates the in¬
tricacies of a cloud-effects screen. Chen was sent to Hollywood by the Chinese government to study Amer¬
ican motion picture production.
fact that the Chinese government has
sent a young Chinese student to observe
all phases of American motion picture
production. This young man — Tieh-Seng
Chen, by name — has been in the United
States for several months during which
time he has been studying motion picture
equipment and maintenance at the Bell
& Howell plant in Chicago; documentary
filming with the Dept, of Agriculture
Motion Picture Division in Washington,
D. C., and techniques of educational
film production at the Harmon Founda¬
tion in New York. At present he is as¬
signed to Warner Bros. Studios in Bur¬
bank, California, where he is constantly
on the set observing James Wong Howe
at work and learning the intricacies of
American photoplay production.
Howe, himself, is very enthusiastic
about the new visual education program
and he will occupy an important ad¬
visory position in its development. He
is happy to see that younger men are
being encouraged to work in the pro¬
gram. If present plans materialize he
may take along several young technical
assistants from Hollywood to aid him in
setting up a topnotch film industry in
China.
Howe Veteran Photographer
For Jimmy Howe this new venture
abroad will be a crowning episode in a
long and colorful career. In the quarter
century that he has spent shooting mo¬
tion pictures, he has become something
of a Hollywood legend. Everyone knows
how, having been born in Kwantung
province, China, he came to America
with his parents when a child; how in
Pasco, Washington, he went to live with
a well-to-do Irish family that had taken
an interest in him; how he started as
a prop boy and worked his way up to
become one of the film industry’s fore¬
most camera artists.
He came to Hollywood in 1916 after
having spent several years knocking
about as a professional boxer. One day
he happened to see Mack Sennett shoot¬
ing a picture in a Los Angeles park.
He was immediately fascinated by this
new and exciting industry and hung up
his boxing gloves then and there in
favor of a camera. But it was a long,
hard grind and he had to start as ap¬
prentice to a commercial photographer,
finally landing a job in the studios as
a ten-dollar-a-week camera assistant.
Meanwhile he studied, asked questions,
experimented. He slept on the sets at
night to save enough money to buy his
first camera, and took snapshots of the
stars to gain more experience.
Promotion via Still Picture
Finally his big break came. In those
days the highly blue-sensitive orthochro-
matic film that was in use recorded blue
tones as white. Cameramen were hav¬
ing a good deal of trouble trying to
get Mary Miles Minter’s light blue eyes
to register on the film. One day Jimmy
took a “snapshot” of Miss Minter on
the set, and when the film was developed
she was delighted to see that her eyes
had photographed in a becoming dark
tone. She made him her cameraman
on the spot, and then he had to sit
down and rack his brain to puzzle out
the reason for his photographic phenom¬
enon. “I thought and thought about it,”
Jimmy recalls, “then I finally remem¬
bered that when I photographed Miss
Minter there had been a black screen
just in back of the camera that threw
a dark reflection into her eyes. After
that I always shot her closeups with the
camera lens peeking through a hole in
a black curtain. Everytime I wanted to
give her a camera direction I had to
lift up the curtain, stick my head under¬
neath and peer up at her.”
Rapid Progress
From that start his rise in the film
industry was slow but steady. He learned
his camera-craft thoroughly. Ever the
student, he was eager to try new ideas,
develop unusual effects, experiment with
more advanced techniques. He was among
the first to try low-key lighting, and he
found it hard to break down professional
opposition to this dramatic style of set
illumination. His fellow cameramen com¬
plained that low-key was impractical,
that the audience would not be able to
see the actors, that it was too radical
a departure from the set standard. When
Jimmy still insisted that he had some¬
thing there, they pinned a good-natured
nickname on him; they called him: “Low
Key Howe.” He laughed with them, but
went on to improve and finally perfect
the rich, velvety style of photography
that later distinguished such pictures as
“Viva Villa,” “Algiers,” “Prisoner of
Zenda,” “King’s Row,” “Air Force,” “My
Reputation,” and a great many others.
During his thirty years in the film
industry, Jimmy has managed to pre¬
serve a finely balanced set of values.
He works hard at his craft, lives simply,
stays in trim with swimming and golf,
and keeps a ready sense of humor to
smooth over life’s rough edges. It is
that humor that keeps every set on which
he works aglow with good fellowship.
He even enjoys telling a joke on him¬
self. One of his favorite yarns con¬
cerns an incident that happened a few
years ago just after he opened an ex¬
clusive Chinese restaurant called “Ching
How” out in the San Fernando Valley.
It seems a certain publication wanted
to run a feature on the place and they
sent their own photographer along to
take a picture of the outside. Said
photographer happened to be of the old
undaunted school and he calmly planked
his camera down smack in the middle
of Ventura Blvd. which was, at that
moment, teeming with rush hour traffic.
Soon cars were piled up for blocks to
avoid hitting him.
Right about then, Jimmy Howe hap¬
pened to look out the window of his
restaurant and saw this intrepid camera¬
man dodging fenders and bumpers. Not
wishing to be a party to a traffic homi¬
cide, he went out and tactfully suggested
that the photographer put a wide-angle
lens on his camera and move in closer
to the curb. At this, the offended cam-
(Continued on Page 374)
American Cinematographer • October, 1946
365
New Filter Technique
For Color Cinematography
By Ray Rennahan, A. S. C.
THE attempt to control day skies
by the use of filters on Tech¬
nicolor cameras has reached a new
technical perfection in David 0. Selz-
nick’s “Duel in the Sun,” according to
Ray Rennahan, veteran Technicolor cine¬
matographer.
“We created mood skies by filters and
were very successful with the endeavor.
By filters we created scenes that here-
to-fore have been largely the result of
work done in the film labs, or the spe¬
cial effects department,” Mr. Renna¬
han said.
The use of filters in Technicolor cam¬
eras to create these mood shots has al¬
ways been a minor endeavor because
such a shot is usually planned as a
matte shot and most cameras have not
been equipped with that type of filter.
“For instance, during the ‘Duel in
the Sun’ location, a scene between Jenni¬
fer Jones and Joseph Cotten, Mr. Selz-
nick desired a sunset sky as background.
So we experimented with filters and the
results show a beautiful gold sky,” the
veteran cinematographer said proudly.
It was in 1921 that the first Techni¬
color picture, “The Toll of the Sea,” was
made using a single-lense beam-splitter
primitive camera. That was when Mr.
Rennahan began his Technicolor work,
and he has been deeply engrossed in it
ever since, with such notable color mo¬
tion pictures to his credit as “Gone With
the Wind,” “For Whom the Bells Toll,”
“Lady in the Dark,” and “Thousand
and One Nights.” Today’s Technicolor
camera weighs more than 700 pounds
and costs in excess of $40,000.
The Technicolor three-strip camera is
now used which requires great amounts
of special equipment. Besides a director
of photography, it requires an immedi¬
ate crew of four persons. The camera
must be continually checked by a tech¬
nician to see that no foreign material
is found in the prisms or on the film.
Dust causes color spots or scratches, and
it is the technician’s job to check after
each okay shot to see that everything
is in order. If not, the scene is shot
again for protection.
While no radical change has taken
place in Technicolor, the refinement of
the process goes on year by year and
according to Mr. Rennahan “Duel in
the Sun” offers the best Technicolor
scenes ever to be seen on the screen.
“I didn’t think anything could top
the producer’s ‘Gone With the Wind,’
but in ‘Duel in the Sun,’ he has com¬
bined magnitude with technical perfec¬
tion, and the result adds up to one of
the best pictures of all time. Mr. Selz-
nick is more camera conscious than any
other producer in town. He concentrated
on unusual angles and unusual sets and
thought nothing of tearing out a wall
to achieve a dramatic camera angle.
“In one instance, he wanted a shot
of a man driving a spike in a railroad
tie. He didn’t want a straight front or
side view, he wanted a low shot. So a
bull-dozer was called into action, and an
exacavation was made deep enough to
accommodate the camera and crew, and
the scene was shot. It was a good shot
too,” he added. Mr. Rennahan has no
decided preference for indoor or outdoor
sets.
“Many directors of photography pre¬
fer to shoot indoor scenes and then will
hire someone else to take over on loca¬
tions. It doesn’t make any difference to
me. I consider each motion picture as¬
signment a challenge, and it is satisfy¬
ing to know that I have experience in
practically every type of photographic
difficulty. In Arizona, we ran into the
problem of sand particles, which gave
scenes a hazy tone, so with the help
of the Technicolor laboratory we de¬
vised special filters which surmounted
the difficulty and resulted in some of
the best Technicolor location shots to my
knowledge.”
The magnitude of “Duel in the Sun”
was best exemplified by Mr. Rennahan
in explaining the huge sets which mark¬
ed many of the key scenes.
“The first set of the cafe scene used
in the prologue was already and wait¬
ing for Mr. Selznick’s okay. When he
did see it he wanted something bigger.
The set was finally made as big as the
stage itself, and part of it was built in
the street between the sound stages.
The scene called for a night shot, so
huge framework was erected and cov¬
ered with tarpaulin. The camera was
(Continued on Page 381)
356 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Special
Effects—
Just what the name
implies —
PLUS
+
The Photographic
PERFECTION
to make the scene
VERY SPECIAL
and
MOST EFFECTIVE
When it’s
EASTMAN
NEGATIVES and POSITIVE
FILMS -
J. E. BRULATOUR, Inc.
FORT LEE CHICAGO
HOLLYWOOD
Eastman Kodak's New "FS-IO-N”
Model In Two Units
The “FS-10-N,” Kodak’s first-line
16mm. sound Kodascope is now making
its appearance in new dress — two con¬
veniently, smartly engineered units, in¬
stead of one.
Designed for versatility and carrying
ease, the new cases now hold — one, the
speaker unit, 50-feet of cable on Cordo-
matic reel, 1600-foot take-up reel, spare
projection and exciter lamps and fuse,
power cord, and oiling outfit . . . and,
in the other case, the projector itself
plus the reel arms.
Case one — the speaker unit — weighs
approximately 25 lbs. And case two, the
projector, weighs approximately 47 lbs.
Latest edition of the American Cine¬
matographer Hand Book and Reference
Guide is now off the press and ready
for distribution. The edition, fifth in
the 11 years of intensive and minute
compilation by Jackson Rose, A.S.C., has
been greatly enlarged with cinemato¬
graphic facts and tables over previous
issues, and is an absolute “must” for
both professionals and amateurs oper¬
ating in the 25mm., 16mm., 8mm. and
minicam fields of photography — both
black-and-white and color.
Rose, a veteran in motion picture
production photography of 35 years,
originally started to collect the mate¬
rial for his own use and information,
and soon discovered that so many pro¬
fessional photographers requested access
to his files that he published his first
edition in 1935. But the changes in
film emulsions, photographic materials
Both cases are finished in black boar-
grain Kodadur.
Easy to set up and easy to use, each
unit is readily packed and unpacked.
The speaker unit need merely be
plugged in and located near the screen.
The Kodascope may be set up in the
case with the cover swung open or may
be removed entirely, and seated atop the
case, or alone on a table or other base.
Everything needed for a showing, ex¬
cept the screen, has a place in either
the speaker or projector case.
Deliveries of these new two-case units
will be made to dealers as fast as pro¬
duction facilities permit.
and other factors necessitated issuance
of further editions. During the war, the
photographic divisions of all branches
of the United States services accepted
the Handbook for guidance and use.
The fifth edition is larger and more
comprehensive than its predecessors.
Sections are devoted to basic data on
film of all kinds (35mm., 16mm., 8mm.)
in both black-and-white and color; fil¬
ter factors; cameras, lamps; exposure
meters; and other materials currently
on the market. New sections have been
added to cover 16mm. sound and silent
projectors, 8mm. silent projectors, still
minislide projectors, new copying and
enlarging charts for miniature cameras,
data on photoflash and photoflood
lamps, and the leading color processes.
In addition to a wealth of pertinent
data and charts, the fifth edition car¬
ries a number of color illustrations.
United 16 Society Provides
Scripts
In line with its plans for widest
assistance and cooperation of its ama¬
teur 16mm. members, the newly-formed
United 16mm. Society, Inc. will make
available to such members a number of
complete production shooting scripts
which can be closely followed in making
pictures for personal enjoyment.
As Daniel Clark, A.S.C., one of the
founders of United points out, “One of
the most important services that can be
rendered the advanced amateur movie
enthusiasts at this time is t]^at of scripts
by which pictures can be made that
carry tempo and human interest. Many
amateur 16mm. cinematographers have
advanced beyond the stage of shooting
scenery, flowers and members of their
families. They now want to plan and
prepare stories and scripts for their
film activities; and we will assist in
these aims of our members. The scripts
which are available are professionally-
setup in every phase; and are delib¬
erately designed for the amateur en¬
thusiast to conveniently make in his
own locality, regardless of amount of
equipment and accessories that might
be available.”
Clark and other founders of United
16 — all with years of professional ex¬
perience in cinematography around the
Hollywood studios — have made an in¬
tensive study of the 16mm. field for
several years. Result is the formation
of an organization intended to foster
the progress and activities in that
branch of the industry through a cen¬
tral agency which can provide advice
and council to members.
Telefilm Issuing Stock for
Expansion Plans
Rapid growth of Telefilm, Inc. of
Hollywood, requires added financing of
$1,500,000 stock issue to carry on huge
expansion plans mapped for the com¬
ing two years.
Telefilm, which currently occupies
two buildings devoted to 16mm. film
production and processing, has mapped
plans which will embrace a new record¬
ing stage, shooting stage, cutting rooms,
added laboratory space and facilities,
and an enlarged animation department.
Fielding Coates Passes
Fielding C. (Phil) Coates, 52, died
September 7th following a brief illness.
For the past 20 years, he was a part¬
ner in the firm of Mole-Richardson Com¬
pany of Hollywood, and during that
period was responsible for the designing
and engineering of modern lighting
equipment for studios and film produc¬
tion. He originally started in the film
industry as chief electrical engineer with
Vitagraph studios in Brooklyn more than
30 years ago.
New Cinematographer Handbook Ready
358 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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MAKERS
O F
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SINCE
19 2 3
The Cinema
Workshop
4. Direction
By CHARLES LORING
IN THE last installment of The Cine¬
ma Workshop we discussed Produc¬
tion Planning and pointed out ways
in which the many varied problems of
picture-making might be minimized by
careful pre-planning.
Let us suppose, then, that all of this
preliminary work has been done. The
shooting schedule has been set up and
approved. Each technician knows exact¬
ly what his responsibilities will be dur¬
ing every phase of filming. All the ele¬
ments of production — human and me¬
chanical have been assembled. Pre-shoot¬
ing conferences have ironed out all pre¬
dictable quirks.
The moment for which we have been
planning has arrived. We are now ready
to begin shooting. It is at this moment,
also, that responsibility for the film de¬
scends mainly into the hands of the one
man who will actually “pull the strings”
of production. This man is the director,
and it is with his problems and duties
that we shall concern ourselves in the
following discussion.
The Role of the Director
On a Hollywood sound stage the di¬
rector is a highly specialized technical
executive whose job it is to orchestrate
all of the various phases of production
into an harmonious cinematic whole. He
has a staff of assistants each of whom
does his bit in accomplishing this re¬
sult. Specialization is everywhere.
In sharp contrast to the Hollywood di¬
rector is the amateur film-maker who is
very often his own producer, director,
cameraman and star. He usually prefers
to do all of these jobs himself, not real¬
izing that it takes something of a
genius to do everything well. Actually,
the serious advanced amateur and semi-
professional can profit by following Hol¬
lywood’s plan of definite specialization.
It is extremely difficult for one man to
rehearse the action of a scene, then hop
behind the camera and film it, paying at-
tenton to focus, exposure, composition,
lighting, and other photographic mechan¬
ics — while trying at the same time to
see that pace, tempo, dialogue and ac¬
tion are also correct. For this reason,
one man should direct the scene and an¬
other should photograph it.
We are at this point mainly concerned
with the role of the director in produc¬
tion. It has been said that the director
is “the inevitable star behind every film,”
and in a sense this is true, because it
is his individuality that is the activat¬
ing force of the entire project. Until the
script reaches the director’s hands, the
proposed film is merely a collection of
abstract ideas statically inscribed on pa¬
per. It is his job to translate these ideas
into kinetic action.
For those who may think that the
position of the director is solely one of
honor and glory, let it be emphasized
that he also bears a tremendous weight
of responsibility. The major burden of
breathing quality into the film rests upon
his shoulders. Although he may not actu¬
ally have direct control over every single
phase of production, each phase is slant¬
ed according to his overall conception
of the picture, and bears the trademark
of his style.
When the film reaches the screen it is
the director who must answer for the
quality of the product. If the result is
good, it is a foregone conclusion that
everyone working on the film will draw
at least his fair share of the praise.
But if the picture is unsuccessful, it is
usually the director alone who is blamed
for its inadequacies.
Because he is the most responsible
technician on the film, then, the direc¬
tor’s importance as the guiding hand of
the production cannot be too strongly
emphasized.
What It Takes to Direct
The question arises: “Can just anyone
direct a film?” If you are thinking in
terms of home movies the answer is
probably “yes,” for (no matter how poor
the camera technique) if this kind of
footage contains sufficient shots of little
Susie, age three, cutely clutching her
teddy bear while leering into the lens,
the home folks are sure to love it. But
we are here more concerned with the
problems of the advanced amateur and
semi-professional, and so our answer to
that question must be: “No — just anyone
cannot effectively direct a motion pic¬
ture.”
It takes a special kind of talent and
personality to direct a film; and it takes
an unusual perspective. The task of the
director is to select certain elements of a
realistic situation and present them in a
forceful, significant pattern on the
screen. Therefore he must be highly sen¬
sitive (or better yet, responsive) to the
dramatic values of life. He must have
a very real and enthusiastic interest in
people, for it is their doings that go to
make up his action. Without being melo¬
dramatic, it can be said that a director
must have a kind of cinematic sixth
sense in order to be able to sniff out a
dramatic situation and reproduce its high
points on the screen.
The really efficient director closely ob¬
serves what goes on in the world about
him and takes mental notes of the
elements that go to make up each situ¬
ation, especially the unusual ones. Using
his script as a basis from which to
work, he draws upon this storehouse
of atmosphere and uses it to effectively
pad the bare bones of action and dia¬
logue recorded in the script.
Above all, he must develop a strong
sense of continuity, a feel for smooth
connection between scenes and sequences.
This is especially important where the
script is to be shot out of sequence
and consecutive scenes are filmed days
or weeks apart. In this type of “frag¬
mentary” shooting, the smooth flow of
action as set down in the screenplay is
disrupted, and the director must strive
to retain in his mind a clear concept of
the whole story pattern, even while he
is shooting it in bits and pieces. He
must know where every part fits into
the celluloid jigsaw puzzle.
But more than merely knowing where
every scene goes, he must be able to
convey the sweep of continuity to his
players, for actors, intent only upon
interpreting the particular bit of ac¬
tion at hand, cannot be excepted to keep
each scene straight in its narrative
order. They therefore depend strongly
upon the director to blend each of their
scenes smoothly into the cinematic
whole, since he sees each scene in its
ultimate setting and knows exactly how
the story is to develop.
The director can enhance his sense of
continuity by studying his script thor¬
oughly, by getting to know the story so
perfectly that he senses the exact mo¬
ment when a certain actor should be
restrained, or a bit of action pointed
up. This is the cinematic “sixth sense”
we speak of.
Approach Is Important
We will not here attempt to set down
a step-by-step pattern for directing a
picture. The truth of the matter is that
there is no one right way to film a
screen story. Even in the highly stand¬
ardized professional motion picture stu¬
dios each director follows his own in¬
dividual formula. One may direct with
broad strokes, placing much emphasis
on the sweep of spectacle. Another may
direct with great sensitivity, using
many close-ups to record the most sub¬
tle nuances of facial expression. Some
directors are blunt and forceful. Others
are quiet and patient. Yet each may
be very successful, even though each
follows a widely different directorial
pattern.
The important thing is for the direc¬
tor to establish a definite approach and
follow it consistently through every
phase of production. For instance, once
having established the mood of the
(Continued on Page 380)
360 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Undisputed leadership in sup¬
plying 16mm and 35mm film
processing machines to the film
industry goes to HOUSTON!
Built into new models are engineering
refinements, war proven and perfected,
that are setting new standards in major
film studios for rapid film processing.
Houston
ARGEST PRODUCERS OF
^ICNT j
Printers, Camera Dollies and Cranes
Thermostatic Temperature Control by
refrigeration and heating. Stainless
steel used throughout.
Standard equipment may be modified
to meet your special processing re¬
quirement.
HOUSTON Model 11
Daylight processing . . .
does not require a dark¬
room.
Processes 16mm negative,
positive and reversal film.
Precision performance at
20 ft. per minute.
Write for descriptive folder
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 W. OLYMPIC BLVD. • WEST LOS ANGELES 25, CALIF.
Society of Motion Picture Engineers Hold
Convention in Hollywood, Oct. 21 to 25
SOCIETY of Motion Picture Engi¬
neers will hold its 60th semi-annual
convention and technical conference
at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, Oc¬
tober 21st to 25th, inclusive, and the
event will carry double-barreled signifi¬
cance.
Coupled with the 30th anniversary of
the founding of the organization, will
be the fact that the convention will be
the first held in Hollywood since the
end of the war. Papers and demonstra¬
tions at the technical sessions will be
vitally important to the future techni¬
cal and engineering progress of motion
pictures, and much jiew equipment de¬
veloped during the war for the armed
forces and improved for practical use
in film practices will be introduced.
From present indications, the conven¬
tion will be one of the most important
and largely-attended in the entire his¬
tory of the SMPE. Officers of the par¬
ent body, and those of the Pacific Coast
Section — which will be host to the vis¬
itors — are combining to make it an out¬
standing event in the organization’s
history.
Organized in 1916
The SMPE was organized in 1916
by a group of engineers who had be¬
come connected with the motion picture
industry in the days of transition from
short reels and haphazard production,
to feature length films. Under the lead¬
ership of C. Francis Jenkins of Wash¬
ington, who became first president, the
organization was set up with three ob¬
jects in view: the advancement of mo¬
tion picture engineering and the allied
arts and sciences; the standardization
(Continued on Page 385)
LEADERS OF THE PACIFIC COAST SECTION, S.M.P.E. who are combining to make the iOth semi-annual convention an outstanding success. Back row left to right-
iJ en-eyv./ ' Gov®Tn?ri Wallace V. Wolfe; H. W. Remerscheid; Gerald Best; Dr. J. G. Frayne, Governor. Middle row, left to right: Past President Herbert Griffin-
Hollis W. Moyse, Chairman, Pacific Coast Section; Loren Ryder, Executive Vice President; Emery Huse, Past President. Front row, Sidney Solow, Secretary-Treasurer
Pacific Coast Section; Dr. C. R. Daily, Governor; and William Mueller, Governor.
362 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
%
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GREETINGS
- - noitoejoi*} bne bnuo2 oiuls!^ noitoM nl
_ Idol oicrlw srl| aoob AD&winO
lo the o(Jth Semi-Annual Oonve
onvention
tngmqiupo pnibioo-si oibute .mm 3£
bsxil- — slidom — sldetioq
+ n^0(31 0 3 rl+ .mm 2£
tnomqiupe lotoajoiq AOfl--ho)ln9T9
tnsmqiupo pnibioosi Issi 2W9M
61
eiotoojoiq aiutoiq bns bnuoa .mm d I
ineers
Engl
bhow 9rU tuoHpuoiHt boaso! tnomqiup3 pnibiooefl bnuoS
from the NEW WEST COAST OFFICE of
boowylloH bne >lioY wold ni aoibutS lsino>l
cfflJPDNt>
*1*. U. S. PAT. off-
6656 Santa Monica Boulevard
H o 1 1 y w o a I i f o r n i a
tistry
>>
A3IH3MA 30 MGITAH03H03 OldAH
.L M .nsbmsO — noiaiviG loloiV A0J1
eimoIileO ,boow\'lloH .cnorneoy^ .H cilOi — noisiviQ lotoiV AO'fl
jIioY wall .eunavA rifri-l — noiaiviG notoiV A05I
S M P E
U)sdo)msL to dtottywootL
In Motion Picture Sound and Projection - - -
Only RCA does the whole job!
35 mm. studio recording equipment
portable — mobile — fixed
35 mm. theatre sound equipment
Brenkert-RCA projector equipment
News reel recording equipment
16 mm. recording equipment
16 mm. sound and picture projectors
Sound Recording Equipment leased throughout the world
Rental Studios in New York and Hollywood
SOUND
SYSTEM
RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA
RCA Victor Division — Camden, N. J.
RCA Victor Division — 1016 N. Sycamore, Hollywood, California
RCA Victor Division — 411 Fifth Avenue, New York
International Division — 745 Fifth Avenue, New York
SOCIETY of monon
PICTURE EnGinEERS
For Your 60th Semi-Annual
Technical Convention
October 21st to 25th.
®)
The MOLE RICHARDSON COMPANY
M
3
I
I
i
i
S
f
f
I t
HOLLYWOOD
ROOSEVELT
HOTEL
60th, Ssimi-tinmiaL Qofi').
SOCIETY OF MOTI
NOTE: The assigned dates of presentation of papers are
tentative and subject to change on the final program.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
MONDAY, OCTOBER 2|
10:00
Principle
12 :30 p.m.
2:00
H ollyivood-Roosevelt Hotel, Roo
Floor: Registration. Advance sa
Dinner Dance Tickets
California Room: SMPE Get-Together Luncheon,
for Members, their guests and friends.
Mr. D. E. Hyndman, President of the Society, will preside.
Guest Speaker: Mr. Byron Price, Vice-President, Motion_^Pic-
ture Association of America, n,ifc7^Y<r~ ElortnIK v€'Y"N
Vice-President and Chairrpa^ Vyof Al|e BcJ^rd/cjfj
Association of Motion Picture Producers, InCT
Aviation Room, Mezzanine Floor: Opening Business
and Technical Session
Session will open with a 16-mm moti
Rejport of Convention Vice-President
"NJotion Pictures on Project Crossroads,” Lt. Col. Richard J.
Cunningham, A.C., USAAF, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio.
“National and International Standardization Programs of the
ASA,” J. W. McNair, ASA Staff.
2:00 p.m. California Room: Afternoon Technical Session.
Session will open with a 16-mm motioq picture shcrt.
“The Application of the Torsional Magneto Strictior P
to Phonograph^ \ReV>r&n Reproduction,” Stanley Rich,
I^lagneto StrictnVi BeVace^ Co., Boston, Mass.
(T^P r<%| j&eVWs&s ign s for Stage Doors, TH
Screens and Water Tank Bulkheadsl” A. C. Zoulis, Para¬
mount Pictures, Inc., Hollywood, Calif.
“Improved Studio Power Distribution Methods,” E.
General Electric Co., Los Angeles, C^lif.
“Magnetic Sound for Motion Pictures,” Marvir
Armour Research Foundation, Chicago, Ill.
TvjrR^rT\^l TosNV^atN totalization of U. S'. Na\h
LiS. Naval Photographic Science
' * ' t4 C.
p.m.
rt Singer,
victor u t
rMBfifll 0 n
FMm,”| G. Aj. J>apfc\^et
Laboratory; U7 STNaval Air' Station, Anacostia, D{.
A High Quality Recording Power Atnplifier,” Ki i
Victor Division, RCA, Hollywood, Qalif.
” ’FAu|TdFT^V'Tirfr3r of Advanced Design,” R. J.
J. Si BoyjJr^ Mjagnecord, Inc., Chicago, Ill.
pTTI. Paramount Studio, 5751 Marathon St. Evering Tech¬
nical Session.
Session will open with a 35-mm motiori picture shoit.
“Historical Development of Sound Filmp
Century Fox Film Corp., New York,
s,” E. I. Spoiiable, 20th
N. Y.
I
tsmjtw i
ON
S. Dibble,
Camras,
Combat
“The Soundman,” George R. Groves, iWarner Bros. Pictures,;, , n A E\E‘ CaHls0n- Gen'
Burbank, Calif. ! G IJ H R A - I fT! 3 C Cl 1 0 O tJ13 Nela Park Cleveland Ohio
’ Special Cameras and Flash Lamps fqr High !
"Film Conditions in India,” Ram L. Gogtay, Bombay, India
"Recent Developments in the Field of Magnetic Recording,”
Dr. S. J. Begun, Brush DevelopmenYj(jtQ.,| C<hv^l^ft>d,K). )
“The Motiongraph AA Projector,” Emil J. Weinke, Motion-
graph Inc., Chicago, Illinois.
8:00 p.m. Republic Studios, Scoring Stagey Nfirth Hollywood ^
Evening Technical Session., f 1 J Cl As. O J j 2 I —
Session will open with a 35-mm motion picture short.
“Studio Production with Two Color Bi-Pack Motion Picture
Film,” J. W. Boyle, ASC, Benjamin Berg, Hal Roach
(Studios, Culver City, Calif.
“Application of a New One-Strip Color Separation Film in
Motion Picture Production,” H. C. Harsh & J. S. Friedman,
Product Development Laboratory, Ansco, Binghamton, N. Y.
“War-Time Naval Photography of the ElectronicVftfi^ge,” Lt.
F- X. Clasby, USN and Lt. (j.g.) R. A. Koch, USNR, U. S.
Naval Air Station, U. S. Naval Photographic Science Lab¬
oratory, Anacostia, D. C.
“A Preliminary Report from the Research Council Sub-
Committee on Blue Sensitive Photocells,” L. T. Goldsmith,
Chairman.
“A Combination Scoring, Rerecording Sc Preview Studio,”
to. J. Bloomberg Sc W. O. Watson, Republic Studios, N.
Hollywood, Calif., and M. Rettinger, RCA Mfg. Co.,
Hollywood, Calif.
Special Cameras and Flash Lamps fqr High Speejd Photog¬
raphy,” Dr. R. T. Knapp, Calif. Institute of Technology,
i Pasadena, Calif.
6 3 1 fl I I DEiecHonic Fire & Gas Light Effect,” Harold Ny$, Warner
Bros. Pictures, Burbank, Calif.
“A Stabilization System for Rate Measurement,” Avery Lock-
, _ ryer>j Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corp., Jamaici, N. Y.
1 3 v i O 1‘iJrkpi‘oved Servo, Mechanical & Electrical toevices for Studio
Production Use” (Symposium of 5
Department, Paramount Pictures, Ho
WEDNESDAY, OCTOB
10:00a.m. California Room: Morning Technical Session
papers), E lgineering
lywood, Calif.
ER 23
picture short
Committee i>n Motion
DIRECTORY OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Pacific CoasoS£Qti$nAUi^Ij>pgp]
Arrangemtlnfr i.i^A-M/ vY -w- • ‘■y-n ■**-*•-
Papejrs Committee . C. R. Daily, Chairman
Barton Kreuzer, Vice-Chairman
Publicity Committee . . . Harold Desfors, Chairman
Registration and Information. .W. C. Kunzmann, Chairman,
Assisted by C. W. Handley
Luncheon and Dinner-Dance
Committee . L. L. Ryder, Chairman
Hotel and Transportation
Committee . S. P. Solow, Chairman
Special Housing Committee . Herbert Griffin, Chairman
Membership and Subscription
Committee (West Coast) . H. W. Remersheid, Chairman
Ladies Reception Committee
Hostess . Mrs. H. W. Moyse
Session will open with a 16-mm motion
“Organization Sc Function of Sectional
Picture Z22,” C. R. Keith, Chairmaii, Z22.
“The Practical Problems of 16-MM Sound,” All^n Jacobs,
The Calvin Co., Kansas City, Mo.
“Engineering Organization & Standardization Procedures of
SMPE,” J. A. Maurer, Engineering Vice-Preside it, SMPE.
“A New 16-MM Professional Camera,” Friend F. Baker,
Mitchell Camera Co., Glendale, Calif.
“The Effect of Feed & Holdback Tensions on Projection Life
of 16-MM Film,” C. F. Vilbrandt, Eastman Kodak Co,
Rochester, N. Y.
“Specifications on Motion Picture Film for Permanent Rec¬
ords,” J. A. Bradley, Chairman, Conjimittee on Preservation
of Film, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C
7:15 p.m. Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel, Terrace Room
hour for holders of Dinner Dance tickets,
freshments)
3!!OMc«e, Room: Sixtieth Seqai-Annual Convention
President Donald E. Hyndman, presiding.
Citation and Scroll presented to:
Bell Laboratories
Dr. Lee de Forest
General Electric Co.
Metro-Gold wyn-Mn ye r
Radio Corporation of America
- - Twentieth Century-1 Fox
Western Electric Co.
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Music, Dancing and Entertainment.
IfllTHHMI
A social
(Re-
Locals 150 AND 165.
16-mm . H. W. Remersheid
THEATER
^ered member
ture theaters on Hoi
Egyptian Theatre Grauman’s Chinese Theatre Hollywood Pan i
rj?
L and JechmcaL ponpWiwiL
PICTURE ENGINEERS
P R
GRAM
OCTOBER
21st to 25 th
1946
THURSDAY, OCTOBER J4
1:00 p.m. H oil yveo o d-Roojsuiudrt — iTofel, Room 201, Mezzanine
Flo "rr'KcKist ration.
2:00 p.m. California R oo in: Afternoon Technical Session.
Session will opeiMwith a 16-mm motion picture short.
"A New Bloopina device,” George Lewin, Signal Corps photoy
graphic CenterYLong Island City, N. Y. ’"“"’I
“The Merkur FilrqpSplicer,” Irving Merkur, Reeves Instrument
Corp., New York, N. Y.
“A Newlyl Developed Light Modulator for Sound Recording,”
Glenn L. DimmiVk, RCA Mfg. Co., Camden, N. J.
“A DeLuxe Film Recording Machine,” M. E. Collins, R(CA
Mfg. Co., Hollywrapd, Calif. V _ S-
“Magnjtic Paper Tape Recording,” M. E. Collins, RCA Mfg.
Co., Hollywood, (V a 1 i 1 .
“Coaxial & Separafe Two-Way Speaker Systems,” H. T.
Souther, Stephens Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, Calif.
“Modulation Characteristics of Concentrated-Arc Lamps,” by
W. D. Buckingham,! The Western Union Telegraph Co'.},
Electfonica DivisionMWater Mill, N. Y.
8:00 p.m. Walt Disney mfheater, Disney Studios, Burbank:
Evening Technical Session.
Session will open with \a 35-mm m otion picture sho^t. r
“Legal
Motion
“Film Proj
Camden, N. J.
ADDITIONAL PAPERS
Presentation Tim©" N*>< Yet Assigned
, - - ' B 4 B ’
1. “Proposals for 16-mm and 8-mm Sprocket Standards,”
f: Chandler, D/'-'FijL^ma^ & L. R. .Martin, Eastman
i
'Koclak On., Rochester,^ New "Vork.
?‘2. “I^adae&Tk'$pe Photography,” R. C. Babish, : Vitarama Corp.,
" "^ Huntington Station, N. Y.y-\ F > 1 \
3. “Coated jOptfC9fr"N^. R. Stifickljind,. Simpsdn Optical Mfg.
T-r Chicago, 1 11/ 1 l
will open with la, 35-mm m otion picture sho^t. j r ,
Aspects of Standardization Relating Sp.ecifi^adlY TS ilJe
on Picture Industry.” O) j j' L <c_S
Projectors for Television,” R. V. Little, RCA Mfg. Co.,
nJIntpTtived Reel Design” (Tentative Titfe), R. T. Van-
Niman, Motiograph, Chicago, Ill.
5. “Calculation of Scanning Loss Resulting from Departure
from Correct Focus,” E. W. Kellogg, RCA, Victor Divi¬
sion, RCA Mfg. Co., Camden, N. J. ,.A
6. “A Mew Television Field Pickup Equipment Employing the
._ . Image Orthicon,” John H. Roe, RCA Victor Division,
\]i D - RCA Mfg. Co., Camden, n N. J.
7. “Corrective Networks, fy/C Hopper, Electric Research
Products Div.( ^Yeatern electric, Hollywood, (Jalif.
„ „ “A New S eries of Camera Lenses for 16-MM C*nemat°g’
raphy,” W. B. Rayton, Bausch & Lomb Optical Co.,
Rochester, N. Y.
9. Film-Lock & Identification Band,” Gare Schwartz, 20th
lU O X\ Centurv Fox_ ^'ilmlTlpfl)., Beverly Hills, Calif.
- 1 \KA3v ' I
x-“’ *■*-<■-- r - Color Photography” (tentative
Photo Research Corp., San Fer-
‘TlSiZaThliP SkIcW Th?Ttre Revision” R. B. Aus- 10..^^^ Wter for
trian, RKO Television iCorp., New York, N. Y. -\ \p\\J,T>K . .... ,
“The Effect of Time Eletifent in Television Program /QpfWflVVd- ' 1 ^ 00 se-v’
tions,” H. R. Lubcke, dL Lee Broadcasting Syst^iM^T
wood, Calif. \\ Q’
“Television Service for sMithern California,” Klaus LandM' ' " REGISTRATION
berg, Television Producttons, Inc., Hollywood, Calif. U. . . . o . \
\ “ Tire Convention R^gistraHepYPeadquarters will be located in
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 Room 201 on ,^i(e,Vptdifea'fiihe floor of the Hotel. Members and
2:00 p.m. California Room: Afternoon Technical Session. , ^stf)Sr^9xpcedted to register. The fee is used to help defray
. . \\ffi . r\ +o ” i*3 Convention expenses. ,\
Session will open with a 16-mm motion picture short ‘ ... , . ' 1
_ .. Tickejsrtbr the Luncheon on Monday and Dinner-Dance on
Wecmesday must b,e, procured in advance. They will be available
at Registration p.Hfeadq'tiarters. Only holders of Dinner-O^nce
, ^^eCSTWiit be admitted to the Social Hour preceding this e^ent.
LADIES’ PROGRAM
“Development of an Invisible 16-MM Film Splice,” E. Bau-
mert, Signal Corps Photogmfphy Center, Long Island City,
N. Y., and J. V. Noble, Qe\ Frenes & Co. Studios, Phila¬
delphia, Pa. Hi
“Increased Light for Projection ,of 16-MM Film with Carbon
Arcs,” R. J. Zavesky & W. W. Lozier, National Carbon Co.,
Inc., Fostoria, Ohio. V|
“Composition in Motion Pictured,” H. T. Souther, Stephens
Mfg. Co., Los Angeles, Calif. V
“The Physical Properties and thfc Practical Application of the
Zoomar Lens,” Dr. F. G. Back, Research & Development
Laboratory, New York, N. Y. Vji
“A Method for Determining the S(h'ape of the Focal Surface in
16-MM Projection,” A. C. RofcWtson, R. H. Talbot, Jr.,
Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, VM. Y.
8:00 p.m. Marquis Theater, Dohety and Metros^— ^veiling.
Technical Session.
Session! will open with a 35-mm motion picture, short.
“Some Photographic Aspects of Sound R6j|ord|rig,r
Sandvik, Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, tF. Y.
"Photographing Things to Come,” Gal. George W. .Gqdfjard^ '6l9f
U. S.! Army, Air Material Command, Wright, oFic!^,' Hayton,
Ohio. V
“A New Projector Program,” T. Scoffers, North AmericaiL,-
Philips Co., Dobbs Ferry, N. Y. \1 ^
“Recent Developments of Super H ighs TtrterrsTfy Arc Lamps,”
F. C. Coates & M. A. Hankins, Mole-Richardson Co.,
Hollywood, Calif.
“Screen Illumination with Carbon Arc Motion Picture Projec¬
tion Systems,” R. J. Zavesky, C. J. Gertiser & W. W. Lozier,
National Carbon Co., Inc., Fostoria, Ohio.
a - ; -
(URTESIES
; d guests wijll be honored at the following deluxe motion pic-
vod Boul evard :
■ i
u|s Theatre Hollywood Paramount Theatre Warner’s Hollywood
A reception parlor for the ladies’ daily get-together and opV
house, with Mrs. H. W. Moyse as hostess, will be announced ^n
the hotel bulletin board and in the final program. The ladlfe
entertainment program will be announced later.
Ladies are welcome to attend technical sessions of interest, af
the Luncheon on October 21, and the Dinner-Dance on Ocobfiji
23. The Convention badge and identification card will be avail-'
abfe to the ladies by applying at Registration Headquarters. '
A
gQ \o Hyndman
OFFICERS IN CHARGE
. . — . President
H erbert Past-President
- LT L. Ryder — . Executive Vice-President
M. R. Boyer . Financial Vice-President
J. A. Maurer . Engineering Vice-President
A. C. Downes . Editorial Vice-President
W. C. Kunzmann . Convention Vice-President
C. R. Keith . Secretary
E. I. Sponable . Treasurer
Boyce Nemec . Engineering Secretary
Harry Smith, Jr . Executive Secretary
Motion p
xctute Enn*
^gmeers
mH sa,, for ^
SE^-ANNUAL c r *
°cro8a 2/st r Nven*on
iT rO 25-
p <3nc/
Con9 cn ,A
0,1 30 *-f, of
,r> f/ie
"e Wusa
^WSCo
TYlsmbsJiA, and J’AimdA. d£.
The Society of Motion Picture Engineers
Invites
You to
visit the _
new offices and
to view
the new
FONDA
Demon¬
strator
in action
FONDA FILM PROCESSING EQUIPMENT DIVISION of SOLAR STAINLESS PRODUCTS
WILLIAM L. PRAGER, Manager
6534 SUNSET BLVD.
HOLLYWOOD
PHILIP L. WARD, Sales Engineer
PHONE HILLSIDE 7548
TITLI
i
I
KE IT
AS,
James R. Oswald
Title cards larger than the-normal- field of view -of
a "typewriter" style titler are easily pbotoqraphed
with this auxiliary titler base over which the regular
titler rides. Automatic alignment with the center of
il. _ i - _ i ii_. r-.i. i _ il -i
the easel fs assured the full 30 Inch lenqth of base,
and clever "zoom" effects are possible becausf 0'^%
iL- - - d side channels, whipti accurately "track"
to and from fh$ tbas^i lenses gf pi
nqfh must be Used, however, for wbrklr
the w
earner
PROBABLY jtheff. itjno of
home movie (making outside of the
mastering cf exposure technique
which has' been covered- -as- extensively
on the printed page as title making. Ar¬
ticle after article, yes, even volume aft¬
er volume, has been devoted to the im¬
portance of titles to a silent movie.
Kinds of apparatus available . . . ad¬
vantages of various sized title cards . . .
methods of laying out the text most ef¬
fectively . . . and proper placement in
the film, itself, are but a few of the
subjects that have been thoroughly and
intelligently treated over and over again.
Yet, there are many little tricks often
seen in your local theatre that can ber
easily duplicated on the simplest of
title making equipment right at home,
but often thought impossible because of
lack of written material on subject.
Titling, for the home movie maker,1
can be sheer drudgery, if considered;
from the standpoint of being a “neces-~
sary evil,” or can be as fascinating, or
even more so, than picture taking, it¬
self. Indeed, many movie makers, once
they have seen the pleasures to be de¬
rived from making and projecting a
new, and perhaps highly intricate title,
of their own creation, would just as
soon devote ALL their cinematographic
efforts to title making!
One doesn’t have to,; be a carpenter
or a machinist to construct little gad¬
gets like those pictured along with ibis
article, and he doesn't hkve to be a
skilled technician perform clever ti¬
tling tricks that greatly enhance the
valuce of his movies, | like those out¬
lined here. Heaven qnly knows I’m
neither of thes| things! A careful stu¬
dy of the illustrations and their cap¬
tions will reveal jdlat I it would be ‘im¬
practicable tot try to give any specific
‘various
n <|fh
distances.
'track" the
proper
inq at
nds
Novel titles with revolvinq backqrcu
accomplished in a sinqle exposure by pa
letters from the 5 and 10 cent store c
clear celluloid, which is held stationary
lar title card holder, while the separate
rotates in either direction, and at any <
with the camera filminq the entire seen
imagination is the limit to the countl
materials and designs suitable for use as
are easily
tinq gummed
n a piece of
in tfie raqu-
bgpkdjoun*
esired speech"
e. Your own
is number of
backgrounds.
A discarded rewind unit propels the disk onto
which the background is mounted. Standard 50 or
dimensions as to the ^constructions of
the auxiliary apparatus, since this na¬
turally depends upon the basic title
making equipment available. From such
a study, however^ the principle involved
in the case of 'each particular effect will
readily be seen, and thus can be easily;,,
duplicated.
As with all unique effects in movie
making, these should be used sparingly,
ti^y.^djhng to thmr ..distji^tion In, ., -_ - ^
WHAT YOU MAKE IT!
isonipnB 2o!e2 .GflAW J SIJIl-H
SCWgMM-.rTtW-i * American Cinematographer OOWYJJOH
-100 foot cardboard projection- reals- are
the larqer disks, thereby providinq an i
changeable, "snap-on, snap-off" featur
number of backgrounds may be kept av
for instant use.
used to back
hstantly inter-
e. I^us. .any
ailable. ready
w:
With frame enlargements made from
of one scene and the first one of the
size of your title field, place these ti
front of one another in order of occi
film. With the second scene held firm
the reqular title card holder, hinqe the
one end with a piece of Scotch tape
outside camera ranqe. As the camera
this picture swinq on its "hinqe" until it
the title field entirely, revealing the
When the finished film is returned, splic
in the proper place in the oriqinal reel
a perfect, professional "flop-over" trar
he last frame;
ext the ejeact
vo "stills" in
rrence irl the
y in place in
first view on
fastened iust
s running, let
finally leaves
econd. stenei
e this footage
and you nave
sition.
... _ 4-f _
■"V, , ' ■ A
1C
m&f
Make a frame enlargement from the
one scene and the first one of the next
of your title field. Mount these two
side on a piece of cardboard without a
der separating the two pictures. Fra
scene in the title card holder, and wit
running, carefully pull the cardboard
picture leaves the field of view and the
takes its place. When the finished flirt
splice this footage In the proper place i
last frame of
the exact size
tills" side fcY
ny white byr-
me the first
1 the camera
aver until the
second scene-
is returned,
reel and you have a perfect, professions
transition.
"vs; * ura <'-s 3 i — — ■ t /•
1 "side-over"
nrti
mi DWi
lopenshvt .1
.C1VJ8 T32MU8 K36
DuPont Distributes Own Film
Products
DuPont Company has purchased the
building, equipment, etc., of Smith &
Aller, Ltd., which has distributed Du¬
Pont motion picture products for the
past 20 years to the west coast studios.
In acquiring the distributor, DuPont
has opened a west coast district sales
office which will handle distribution of
motion picture film, x-ray film, photo¬
graphic papers, films, and chemicals.
On Coast
Myron A. Hatfield, previously Los
Angeles branch manager for Defender-
DuPont products, has been appointed
district manager of the coast Photo
Products department. J. Wesley Smith,
senior partner in Smith & Aller, will be
associated as a consultant. Simeon
Aller, well-known in Hollywood film
circles for nearly three decades, will
-K
DUPONT sales and technical representa¬
tives in company's new West Coast office.
Upper left: K. T. Molin, Director of
Sales, Wilmington; upper right, M. A.
Hatfield, District Manager.
Lower panel (left to right): Hollis W.
Moyse, Technical Engineer; Pete L. Sham-
ray, Technical Representative, and J.
Wesley Smith, Special Consultant.
-X
take an extended vacation before em¬
barking on a new enterprise.
Hollis W. Moyse and Pete L. Shamray
will continue with DuPont as technical
representatives and contacts with the
Hollywood producers — the former also
functioning as engineering liaison with
the eastern factory. Two added appoint¬
ments have also been announced in
connection with the new DuPont coast
organization. H. A. Gladden, trans¬
ferred from Milwaukee, will be district
x-ray sales manager; while A. H.
Bertholf functions as district trade
sales manager for the Photo Products
department at the Los Angeles office of
Defender-DuPont.
i
American Cinematographer • October, 1946
371
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Metropolitan
Metropolitan Motion Picture Club of
New York City inaugurated its 1946-47
season with meeting at the Hotel Penn¬
sylvania, with splendid film program
comprising: “A GI’s Memoirs of France
and Switzerland,” by Edgar R. Harley;
“Jasper Road,” by Charles and Robert
Coles; “Bettas,” by John Larsen; and
“New Guinea Newsreel,” by Lewis B.
Sebring, Jr.
Following the June meeting, which re¬
sulted in the election of C. Murray
Booth, Alice L. Burnett, Joseph J. Har¬
ley and George Mesaros to the board of
directors for three year terms; the board
re-elected the present officers for an¬
other term. They are, president Joseph
J. Harley; first vice president Frank E.
Gunnell; second vice president John R.
Hefele; treasurer Sidney Moritz; and
secretary Alice L. Burnett.
It was disclosed that Dr. MacDonald
Browne tabbed first prize in the novice
contest, entries which were screened at
the June meeting, with his “Calling Dr.
Kildare.” “Camper’s Paradise,” by Mur¬
ray Booth was adjudged second best;
while “It’s Y-E Day” by Terry Manos
took the third prize in the large field
of entries.
Los Angeles Cinema
Close to 300 members and guests at¬
tended the September 9th dinner meet¬
ing of the Los Angeles Cinema Club, held
at the Breakfast Club pavilion. Earl
Schenck, scientist, explorer, artist, and
author, presented his outstanding koda-
chrome film, “Polynesia — a Tale of Ta¬
hiti;” and then told of his rich and
thrilling experience covering 14 years
in the Polynesian Islands. Underwater
scenes in the picture were outstanding
photographic achievements.
San Francisco Westwood
“Practical Use of the Exposure Met¬
er,” a talk by Leon M. Kerkhof, featured
the August 30th meeting of Westwood
Movie Club of San Francisco, held in
St. Francis Community Hall. Films in¬
cluded: “Wing Over Alaska,” and A1
Soderman’s “San Francisco Fair.”
Brooklyn Amateur
Initial meeting of the new season for
the Brooklyn Amateur Cine Club was
held on September 18th at 1218 Union
Street, with president Charles Benja¬
min promising a “sensational” year of
club activities. Film program for the
evening included: “Land Snakes Alive,”
and “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn,” by
Leo Heffernan; “Army Air Show,” by
Jack Glasson; and “Meshes of the After¬
noon,” by Mya Deren.
Meeting on October 2nd was devoted
to discussion and demonstrations of in¬
door lighting, with club experts on the
subjects providing information and an¬
gles for the benefit of the members.
La Casa, Alhambra
The progressive La Casa Movie Club
of Alhambra, California, presented and
all-member film program for meeting of
September 16th. Subjects included:
“Maytime in the Sierra,” by R. Kiels-
meier; “Sail-O-Mobiling,” by Ralph C.
Willhoft; “Desert Wild Flowers,” by
George H. Kohler; “When Jimmie Comes
Marching Home,” by John Cook; “A
Little Desert, A Little Nebraska,” by Dr.
D. G. Baird; “The Sierra,” by F. A.
Carnahan; and “16 mm. Sound in Koda-
chrome,” by R. L. Johns.
Utah Cine Arts Club
Alan Stensvold, one of the top 16 mm.
color photographers in the professional
field, was guest speaker at the Septem¬
ber 11th meeting of Utah Cine Arts Club
of Salt Lake City. Stensvold talked on
the progress of 16 mm. color cinematog¬
raphy, and the possibilities in the com¬
mercial field for the future.
Following the talk and answers-to-
questions period by Stensvold, a group of
films were shown to climax the meeting.
New York Eight
“The Jungle Parade,” by Fred Evans
of Van Nuys, California, featured the
film program at September 16th meet¬
ing of New York Eight MM. Club, held
at the hotel Pennsylvania. Usual pre¬
meeting dinner was held in the Men’s
Cafe for a good turnout.
Seattle Movie Club
In expanding its activities for the
benefit of members, Seattle Movie Club
launched two meetings monthly, effec¬
tive last month. Favorable discussions
tending towards fulfillment would pro¬
vide for film-making as a club activity.
Proponents of the idea suggest a pool¬
ing of the best cinematographers, to¬
gether with wealth of equipment which
could be assembled, and the aid avail¬
able among club members for editing and
post-production chores.
At the September 10th meeting, mem¬
bers’ movies of the club picnic were
shown, with member Huntley coming
through to accept the first prize. “Show
on the Mountain,” from ACL library,
was run off.
On September 24th, C. Grinnell, A.
Widson, and R. Lund functioned as the
committee for the Cine Workshop meet¬
ing, with the assembled members secur¬
ing some interesting and valuable knowl¬
edge of cinematography and practices
to improve their films.
Los Angeles Eight
“God of Creation,” photographed by
Erwin Moon of the Moody Institute of
Science, featured the September 10th
meeting of the Los Angeles Eight MM.
Club, held in the Bell & Howell audi¬
torium. In addition three club-member
films were exhibited : “At Christmas,” by
Sylvia Fairley; “Coast to Coast,” by
Herman Hack; and “Reaping the Rain¬
drops,” by L. B. Reed.
Annual picnic was held at North Hol¬
lywood Park on September 15th, with a
large turnout of members, families and
guests gathering for an old fashioned
basket picnic.
St. Louis Amateur
Contest pictures made by club members
at the club picnic on July 28th featured
the September 10th meeting of Amateur
Motion Picture Club of St. Louis. Mar¬
tin Manovill’s entry was adjudged best.
Other films on the program included:
“A Tramp in the Woods,” by Ryne Zim¬
merman of Milwaukee; “Overland Club
Picnic of 1946;” “Easter Sunday With
the Easterdays;” and “Follow the Girls,”
by Oscar H. Horovitz.
Milwaukee Amateur
Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee
has set dates for the club’s annual film
exhibitions. Entries for the 8mm. di¬
vision will be shown on November 13th,
while those of the 16mm. classification
will be exhibited on November 27th.
Members’ vacation films highlighted
the meeting of September 11th, while
program for the September 25th was
still a dark secret as we went to press.
MEMBERS OF BROOKLYN AMATEUR CINE CLUB on annual outing at Fox Museum, Seaforth, L. I., July 14,
1946. — Photo by President Charles Benjamin.
372 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
v, v>V> ' \ * >
4‘*r:
SiSl
Within this unique device —
a four-millionths-of-an-inch
lens coating that results in
. . . better, crisper
movies from the
taking lens
. . . finer, brighter movies^
from the projection lens
The Big Movie News of the Year!
Lumenized Lenses —on Cine-Kodaks and Kodascopes
. . . up to 40% more screen illumination
. . . greater crispness and clarity
. . . better color
TUMENIZED LENSES on all new Cine-Kodaks and on most
(soon all) new Kodascopes . . . Lumenized Cine-Kodak
accessory lenses, too! Not since before the war has there
been a photographic development of such significance to
movie makers. For them it holds the promise of finer,
brighter movies — with purer colors, greater crispness and
clarity, and up to 40% more screen illumination.
Lumenizing is the special Kodak technique of coating all
air-glass surfaces of a lens with a hard, microscopically thin
transparent film of magnesium fluoride. This coating helps
kill reflections from lens surfaces, increases transmission of
light, produces cleaner color and tone values in both high¬
light and shadow areas of your movies. And it's tough! It
will stand cleaning as well as does optical glass itself . . .
under normal treatment will remain clear fully as long as
the front surface of an uncoated lens.
On either camera or projector, a Lumenized lens will
improve the quality of your movies. Furthermore, in the
new Kodascopes all air-glass surfaces of every lens are
Lumenized, including the condensers, resulting in a truly
startling increase in screen illumination without a corre¬
sponding increase in heat. You can show bigger or brighter
movies with a lamp of normal wattage, or you can use a
lamp of lower wattage, longer life, and cooler operation to
project pictures of the usual size and brightness.
Lumenizing — one of many Kodak photographic ad¬
vances coming your way!
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, Rochester 4, N. Y
An Ace Heads East
(Continued from Page 355)
era artiste threw his focusing cloth
to the ground, jumped up and down on
it, and screamed at Jimmy: “Why don’t
you go in and worry about your noodles
and let me take the pictures?”
Jimmy’s sincere craftsmanship is evi¬
dent in the way he works on the set.
He seems to be all over the sound stage
at once: checking the light balance, co¬
ordinating action with camera move¬
ment, peering through the view-finder to
make sure every element of composi¬
tion is just right. A happy blending of
the artist and the realist, he works
for compositions that are forceful with¬
out being stagy, and he always keeps
his set-ups flexible enough to allow the
player to move about naturally within
the frame.
Yett, with all his precise attention to
photographic detail, with all his intense
devotion to the camera, he does not con¬
sider any one phase of production more
important than the others. “A good
motion picture is the result of team¬
work,” he explains. “If the director, the
cameraman, the writer, producer, and art
director each work as separate individ¬
uals without regard for the overall ap¬
proach of the picture, the final result
cannot be consistent or forceful on the
screen. But if they work closely to¬
gether, with each technician blending
his own specialty to complement the
other phases of production, a finer pic¬
ture is sure to result. This is the prin¬
ciple on which we hope to build the new
motion picture industry in China; team¬
work and cooperation.”
New Film Frontier in China
Now, at the zenith of his success as a
director of cinematography, James Wong
Howe expects to be leaving Hollywood
to help bring the motion picture to a
vast undeveloped land where life still,
for the most part, follows the same
primitive pattern that it did a thousand
years ago. For one who has spent so
many years in the film capital, it will
not be easy to leave, but he feels that
he must go now when he can really be of
assistance to an important project.
“Hollywood has been very good to
me,” he reflects, “and I’m grateful for
all I have been able to learn, for the
chance to work in so inspiring an in¬
dustry, and for the friends I’ve made
while doing so. I’ve spent the last thirty
years shooting movies in Hollywood. In
the early days it was difficult; we had
inadequate equipment, we had to im¬
provise, we were pioneering a new in¬
dustry — but there was a real thrill to it.
Today, China is a new frontier for the
motion picture. We’ll be pioneering
again, but I know that this time, too,
it will be a real adventure.”
When he speaks of China and the film
work he will do there, he fairly bub¬
bles with enthusiasm. The possibilities
are so vast that it will take many years
to accomplish all of them, but he looks
at the project from a long-range point
of view in terms of what it will ulti¬
mately mean to the Chinese people.
Vast Opportunities Open
“Picture a huge nation of 450 million
people,” he says, “most of whom have
never seen a motion picture. Their ways
of life have stayed the same for cen¬
turies; they are out of contact with the
rest of the world, and hardly know *what
is going on right in their own country.
By means of the motion picture we can
bring the world to them — and in the same
way, we can bring their story to the
world. The film is the perfect medium
for unifying and educating the people of
China.”
Documentary Films First
To achieve this enlightenment of the
Chinese people, Howe visualizes a com¬
prehensive program to bring current
events and national problems to the
screen. This will be done, not with
conventional newsreels, but by means of
carefully formulated, unbiased documen¬
tary features — very much like our
“March of Time” — which will analyze
problems of national importance and en¬
courage the people to work them out in
a democratic way.
Jimmy points out that the immediate
projects (groundwork of which has al¬
ready been laid) will include the com¬
mercial lab and the visual education pro¬
gram. When these have been well-or¬
ganized, he plans to start production of
regular feature-length photoplays for
general entertainment. He feels that the
country itself holds much that can be
placed on the screen to good advantage.
“The literature of China is rich and
colorful,” he points out, “but more than
that, it is cinematic. There are many
fine stories just waiting to be put on
film — stories of the folk who live on river
boats and spend their lives drifting down
the waterways of China, stories of the
farmers living close to the land and
drawing life from the soil. We will
film stories like these, not on sound
stages with artificial sets and props,
but in actual locales where we can cap¬
ture realism and the flavor of the coun¬
try itself.”
To Stress Technical Quality
With the new lab acting as an advi¬
sory board and research center, it is ex¬
pected that the technical quality of these
films will ultimately approach that of
Hollywood productions. But the flavor
of the screen presentation will remain
authentically Chinese. Jimmy Howe ex¬
pects to extend his activities to the
fields of production and direction, per¬
haps eventually calling in Hollywood
stars and technicians to make individual
pictures. In this way he feels that un¬
derstanding between the two nations can
be pleasantly and effectively increased.
Asked what his ultimate ambition is,
Jimmy replies with frank sincerity: “I
just want to go on making movies as long
as I am able. Technical progress in mo¬
tion pictures has only just begun. There
are still great strides to be made and
I want to do my part toward the new
(Continued on Page 385)
The FIFTH EDITION of The
CAMERAMAN'S HANDBOOK
RIGHT OFF THE PRESS
35mm., 16mm., 8mm. and MINI-CAM
IMPROVED ENLARGED REVISED
(WITH COLOR) (NOW OVER 300 PAGES) (TO 1946)
PROFESSIONAL or AMATEUR
The Greatest Handbook of Its Kind Ever Published
PRICE $5.00
Send for Descriptive Circular
American Cinematographer Handbook
1165 N. Berendo St. Hollywood 28, Calif.
374 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
fSlbS
At
“ For that extra ‘ snap ’
in 16mm color pictures,
I use Carbon Arcs.”
Alan Stensvold, S.S.C
••• s">.
NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC.
Unit of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation
l»HH
30 East 42nd Street, New York 17, N. Y. o
Division Sales Offices: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
nv
AMATEUR I6MM.
Clubs or Individuals
You are in vited to join a National
16mm. Society with a 9-point
program of service including:
• Professional Advice
• Scripts for Home Movies
• New Equipment Information
• Exchanges of Equipment
• Production Aids
• Equipment procurement guidance
• Prizes and awards on year's best
films
• Suggestions on best methods for
commercializing your hobby
UNITED
16mm Society, Inc.
A Non-Profit Organization
7078 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood 28, Calif.
Mitchell s New 16mm.
Professional Camera
DIAGONAL SPLICES Are Stronger. .. MORE PLIABLE
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Basic unit of the B&H Add-a-
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makes available to the ama¬
teur the same fast, easy splic¬
ing procedure offered by B&H
Laboratory Splicers. It makes
the strong, pliable diagonal
splice that means greater per¬
manence and, with sound films,
quieter passage through the
sound drum. For 16mm. silent,
16mm. sound, and 8mm. film.
B&H ^
Rewinder-"
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Model 72-M
. B&H
■Film Splicer
Model 72-1.
B&H Film Splicer Model 72-L is a low-
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sound and silent and 8mm. film. Com¬
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AT YOUR FILMO DEALER'S NOW
B&H Add-a-Unit film editing equipment is
available now at your Filmo dealer’s. . .or he
can get it for you promptly. See him, or write
to Bell & Howell Company, 7X48 McCormick
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B&H Rewinder and Splicer Model 72-M
consists of splicer like Model 72-L, mounted
on wood base with standard geared re¬
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16mm. reels up to 400 ft. ____
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PRECISION EQUIPMENT FOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS
OF HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
For the first time in its history, the
Mitchell Camera Corporation is produc¬
ing a 16mm. camera — one that will do
everything that its big brother, the
Mitchell 35mm., will do. Known as the
Mitchell 16mm. Professional, this new
camera has been designed for high
quality film reproduction. It may be
used either as a silent camera or a
double-system sound camera.
There is little difference in design or
operation between the Mitchell 16mm.
and 35mm. cameras. The smaller cam¬
era incorporates the same “rack-over”
device, the same type of focusing tele¬
scope and view finder. A quick-shifting,
four-lens turret, a hand dissolve with
miniature shutter and a combination
matte box and sunshade unit are a few
of the other Mitchell features included
in the “16.”
The movement is a double cam type:
one cam actuates the pull-down mechan¬
ism, and the second cam operates the
pilot pins.
Professional 16mm. producers, re¬
search and educational institutions and
other organizations which require pro¬
fessional cinematography should be in¬
tensely interested in this new Mitchell
Camera.
Wollensak Issue New Catalog
Revised edition of catalog published
by Wollensak Optical Co. is now avail¬
able through photographic dealers. Book¬
let covers various types of lenses, shut¬
ters, lens filters and photographic ac¬
cessories marketed by the company.
376
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
with the features you
have always wanted
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interchange of glass and ready mount slides without
refocusing. Operates with one hand - - fingers never
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design that combines maximum brilliance with
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with effective heat dissipation and minimum light
loss . . . Pointer aperture permits use of pointer
with slides . . . Attractively finished, compact,
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parts readily accessible . . . the ideal projector for
brilliant full color or black-and-white 2" x 2" slide
projection.
Write for special Amproslide circular giving
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AMPRO SLIDE
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GENERAL
You'll find these tips by noted Saturday
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19 color illustrations of subjects you'll
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dealer’s. General Electric , Schenectady 5, N. Y.
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Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 351)
was set up in the middle of the plat¬
form, keeping the dogs in his sights,
when suddenly they broke away from
their attendants and came bounding
along at a speed and in a manner un¬
called for in the script. The six dogs,
chained together in two sets of three,
and probably trying to impress the di¬
rector, swept the tripod from under the
camera and dragged that important in¬
strument for several blocks before they
could be brought to heel. Then the com¬
pany rested and the producer languished
while repairs were made on the cam¬
era.
The next picture for the same com¬
pany was called “Barbarous Mexico,” an
opportunistic venture filmed against the
background of the Mexican revolution of
1912. To shoot the battle scenes Irving
was shipped down to Mexico. He ar¬
rived in El Paso, and after some fina¬
gling made contact with the supporters
of one of the contending generals who
agreed to get him across the Rio Grande
the following night.
The spot chosen for the crossing was
a place on the river near Fort Hancock,
Texas; safely in back of the lines which
were running roughly north and south
at that time. And Irving, with his fel¬
low adventurer, were to cross in com¬
pany with twenty or thirty other men
who had been enlisted to serve with this
particular general.
When, after a rough ride in some
requisitioned buckboards, the group of
men arrived at the appointed place by
the river it was decided that there were
not enough boats for everyone to make
the trip at the same time. It was decid¬
ed, therefore, to send most of the fight¬
ing men on ahead and send back one of
the boats for Irving and his companion.
Those remaining on the American side
settled down in the inky blackness to
wait. They heard the sound of the muffl¬
ed oars diminish in the distance. Then
silence. And then a volley of shots rang
out, then another, and another. The
watchers saw the flash of rifle fire on the
opposite bank. The boat did not return.
His second attempt to get into the
fray was more successful, landing him,
via train from El Paso, in Torreone.
And he arrived just in time to film a
major engagement. There were charges
and counter-charges, and the cavalry
shots were magnificent with the horses
rearing and creating enough dust to
make everything wonderfully photogenic.
But Irving had chosen the wrong side.
He had about settled down to shoot
this war in comfort when he had to re¬
treat. And then they retreated again
after another short stand. And then
again. Finally it was decided to make a
stand at a cleft in the mountains, a seem¬
ingly impregnable position, called Ba-
chimba Pass.
The general took Irving into his con¬
fidence and showed him the plan of his
strategy; where he would deploy his
troops, where his cavalry would lie in
wait for the orders to charge, where the
three-inch guns would be mounted. And
he told Irving to pick the spot he
wanted to shoot from.
Irving picked a place on the summit
of one of the two cliffs that formed the
pass through the mountains. From such
a vantage point he could sweep the en¬
tire battle arena. And besides, it was
safe.
He had chosen well. It turned out to
be a spectacular fight and everything
passed before his lens as he had hoped.
And it had been perfectly safe. It had
been.
Suddenly the bullets from a machine-
gun started peppering his position. They
came so thick and fast, and with such
deadly accuracy that it would have been
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378 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
fatal for the two men to expose them¬
selves in an effort to rescue the cam¬
era that was sticking out of the foxhole
in which they were now trying to make
themselves as inconspicuous as possible.
But they had to save the camera.
Digging like mad they dug a trench
from their hole across the fortunately
narrow brow of the hill until they were
out of the line of fire. And just in time.
The position was not impregnable, and
the retreat was on again.
Chagrined at having given permis¬
sion to these Yankee cameramen to film
what had turned out to be his military
failures, the general refused to give
them permission to leave the country
and clapped them in jail. They got out
of this by bribing the captain of the
guard with a new pair of trousers that
he sorely needed, and after several more
similar episodes shook the dust of Mex¬
ico from their feet and out of their
sombreros.
But there is an interesting aftermath
to this story that is worth telling.
One day, several years later, Irving
was crossing San Francisco Bay on a
ferryboat in pursuit of some newsworthy
footage for The Selig-Tribune Newsreel
Weekly, the camera department of
which he had organized. On the ferry¬
boat he fell into conversation with a
cowhand, a Texan who told Irving that
he had spent some time in Mexico. Well,
that gave the two men something in
common, and so Irving told him that he
had filmed the battle of Bachimba Pass.
And as the conversation developed it
turned out that this cowhand had also
been in that battle on the opposing side.
Finally, Irving got to the part of the
story about the merciless rain of bullets
that drove him and his camera from
his perch on top of the cliff.
“Well I’m damned!” said the cowhand.
“Well, I’m damned!”
“What’s the matter?” Irving wanted
to know.
“Well,” said the Texan, “I was the guy
who was shooting at you. But I had no
idea that was a camera up there, I
thought you had a machine-gun.”
Back in Chicago, Irving transferred
his affections to the Rothacker Film Co.
for whom he made industrial and top¬
ical subjects for a couple of years. On
this job he traveled the country, lug¬
ging his own camera and baggage and
frequently spent weeks at a time sleep¬
ing on trains. But he quit when an over-
zealous efficiency man made uncompli¬
mentary noises one morning when he
came in 15 minutes late.
That, of course, called for a drink.
And over the drink in the La Salle
Hotel bar he met a newspaper friend
of his attached to the NEA news service
who was just leaving to cover the new
war in Europe. He told Irving that he
knew of a group of men who had put
up money for a film to be made in
Europe behind the German lines. They
were all set except for a cameraman,
and he asked Irving if he would like to
go along.
He did. And the outgrowth of that
conversation was as fantastic an expe¬
dition as was ever attempted and made
during a war. The two men equipped
a Stutz “Bearcat” to carry all their bags
and photographic paraphernalia, drove
it to New York, from where it was
shipped to Rotterdam, and from where
they drove to Berlin. From Berlin they
followed the German armies in their
early victories on the Russian front,
filmed the capture of Warsaw, and after
returning to Berlin, toured the fight¬
ing zones on the Western front.
Irving returned to America with some
of the most interesting footage of the
first war to be fought on a modern scale.
But except for a few showings around
Chicago the picture went unreleased be¬
cause the backers, inspired no doubt by
the martial spirit of the film, fought
among themselves.
That was when he organized the cam¬
era department for the Selig-Tribune
News in Chicago. One of his first assign¬
ments on that job took him right back
to Mexico to cover General Pershing’s
expedition to Agua Prieto.
He felt the Hollywood urge in 1917
and became cameraman for L.K.O. Com¬
edies, a company whose greatest asset
probably was in the services of Norman
Taurog as director; then he worked for
Vitagraph to film the Jimmy Aubrey
comedy series; and in ’21 for “Bronco
Billy” Anderson to do the Stan Laurel
pictures. In 1922 he worked for Hunt
Stromberg making a series that starred
Bull Montana, and the next year Bill
Thorpe for a series of Westerns.
When M-G-M- called him in 1924 it
was for a three week assignment, and
his job was to do the trick work in a
comedy sequence in which the script
called for Louise Fazenda to ride an
ostrich.
This was probably the first occasion
on which a cameraman had ever been
called in to specifically create a “special
effect.” The results were so good, and
with such a saving of time and money
to the production, that Irving realized
that the creation of a department where
all tricks shots could be handled would
be most beneficial to the studio. He sold
the idea to the Metro officials and his
three weeks has so far stretched to 22
years.
It was in this department that the
first dissolves were made on to laven¬
ders, and later, working with techni¬
cians from Eastman, that the first dup¬
ing stock was developed.
Every year Irving has added to his
already extensive repertoire. Soon to be
released is “The Cockeyed Miracle,” a
picture that has once more given the
old master full range for his mystifying
bag of tricks. If you’re interested in
trick work, this has everything. Go to
see it!
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American Cinematographer • October, 1946
379
Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 360)
story, he will see to it that every bit
of treatment follows in key with that
mood. Selecting the various elements of
a given situation, he blends them to¬
gether to form a definite and tangible
atmosphere. If, for example, the locale
were a waterfront dive, he would cut
in flashes of a couple of drunks arguing
at a table, a bartender spinning drinks
down the bar, a piano-player pounding
out raucous rhythm between gulps of
beer, a waterfront floozie flirting with
a sailor, a moocher trying to beg drinks
from the bartender, etc. All of these
segments of the situation would set the
mood much more effectively than a
single overall shot of the room.
It is, after all, the little touches of
originality that form a director’s style
and add punch to the film narrative. To
the observant director, no action — no
matter how small — is insignificant. Each
offers a challenge, a chance to present
in an original way a bit of business that
had always before been presented in the
same trite way. These touches help also
to enhance characterization, so that the
characters become individuals instead of
mere general types.
Even the most detailed script cannot
anticipate all the added touches that are
apt to present themselves when the
story actually starts to unfold on the
shooting stage. Perhaps an actor will
add a bit of humorous business or a
line of smart dialogue; maybe the cam¬
eraman will discover a forceful angle
that hadn’t been bargained for. The di¬
rector should always stand ready to
take full advantage of these spur-of-
the-moment developments, as they will
give added life to his film — provided, of
course, that they do not go off on tan¬
gents. A script that has a basis of strong
plot action will especially benefit by the
inclusion of these little touches.
The director will find that approach
depends upon getting his trend of action
and mood firmly in mind, and keeping
every element of treatment in that key
during filming.
Working with Your Cast
We have said that it is a major re¬
sponsibility of the director to bring out
the professional best in the people with
whom he is working. This applies not
only to his fellow technicians, but also
to his players, the actors portraying the
various characters in the film. We use
the term “actors” in a general sense to
include anyone appearing before the
camera in a directed film, whether it
be commercial, educational, or documen¬
tary.
The most effective tool a director can
use in working with a cast is his own
personality. In terms of simple psychol¬
ogy, if he acts in a certain way toward
them, his players will re-act in a cor¬
responding way. He must be understand¬
ing, patient, sensitive, and determined
to settle for nothing less than a cred¬
itable result. Above all, in working with
players, he should develop the ability
to convey his ideas to them clearly and
productively.
Too many beginning directors worry
about what kind of impression they are
creating in front of their cast. They are
afraid that they may seem unprofession¬
al if they allow themselves to really
enter into the spirit of the thing. Ac¬
tually this is a fallacy, for it matters
not one little bit what impression the
director creates during filming as long
as he gets the desired results on the
screen, for it is in terms of the film
itself that he will ultimately be judged.
He should, therefore, get rid of all
traces of self-consciousness and learn
to act naturally. He should also devel¬
op his own dramatic sense and acting
ability, so that if he finds it necessary
to suggest a bit of action to the cast
by actually going through the motions,
he can do so effectively.
From the standpoint of personal tem¬
perament, it behooves the director to
know how to control himself before he
attempts to control others. Contrary to
popular belief, a movie set is no place
for “temperament,” especially on the
part of the director. Violent displays of
emotion work against the film instead of
for it, and indicate that the director is
unable to cope with the admittedly in¬
tense strains of directing a motion pic-
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380 October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Photography at Bikini
(Continued from Page 352)
the field at Kwajalein, where speed in
processing under tropical conditions was
essential. Major P. M. Thomas from
Wright Field was placed in charge of
camera engineering and the ultra-high¬
speed cameras — Fastex, Eastman UHS,
and the Jeromes running 1,000 frames
per second.
At Lowry Field, Colonel Cullen con¬
tacted the remnants of the AAF First
Motion Picture Unit, but demobilation
had set in to the point where no pro¬
fessional motion picture photographers
were available. From Wright Field Pho¬
tographic division, technical intelligence,
Lt. Col. Richard “Joe” Cunningham,
formerly with RKO, was placed in
charge of motion picture. In addition
to his crew from Wright Field, he had
to have top production photographers
to photograph the bomb blast and to
direct and film the historic and docu¬
mentary coverage required.
The writer, starting on terminal leave
received orders returning him to active
duty for Operations Crossroads. With
other members of the A. S. C., and ex-
service photographers from the picture
industry in Hollywood, Lt. Col. Cunning¬
ham was able to fill his requirements.
At Roswell, the intensive training
started — many of us were veterans in
the air, but some were not. Some of us
had many hours in B 29’s at very high
altitudes, while others made their first
high altitude flights during this train¬
ing period. But when it came time to
head overseas, long hours of flight, high
altitudes and oxygen were no novelty
for any member of the group. Colonel
Cullen had whipped up a smooth-work¬
ing photo organization.
But in the Pacific, the conditions were
entirely different. From desert flying
over New Mexico, in dry — and many
times dusty — air, we went into the
humid tropical zone of Kwajalein, and
to different problems. We flew some¬
what higher in the Pacific, and con¬
tinued the training program until every
man knew exactly what he was to do
under various conditions or emergencies,
and could do it. What to expect — that
was something else again. None had
ever before planned to photograph the
detonation of an atom bomb in the air.
General Ramey had planned well.
Ground crews, air crews, photographers
— all were briefed on every mission, just
the same as a combat outfit — except that
none was shooting at you. Yes, and the
dried eggs, spam, dehydrated vegetables
and canned sausage were just as evident
as the lack of fresh milk, fruit, and
salads.
Colonel Cullen was relentless in his
insistence on dry runs (repeated plane
trips over the route mapped for each
plane when the atom bomb was to be
exploded) — “Nothing short of perfec¬
tion in the Air Foto Unit” — and it paid
off. He had selected, secured and or¬
ganized the largest photo unit that was
ever put together to photograph a mo-
mentus event in history — and accom¬
plished it in a very short time. In com¬
bination with staff planning, it is to
his lasting credit that we were able to
deliver a most complete and informative
photographic record of the atomic blast
— without a single casualty.
Although, at first glance, the cost of
the atom tests may seem excessive, the
records secured by Air Foto Unit have
alone justified the huge expenditure.
For, from the many hundreds of thou¬
sands of feet of film, Manhattan scien¬
tists and atomic engineers will secure
vital information of actual atom blast
characteristics for future research; and
such data could not have been obtained
in any other manner.
For example, the importance of mo¬
tion picture records for the scientists is
best demonstrated in excerpt from a re¬
cent article in Air Force magazine,
which stated: “Actually, it is not too
much of an exaggeration for never be¬
fore, even during war-long operations
calling for split-second timing, as the
AAF had to meet the challenge of micro¬
second synchronization demanded at
Crossroads. From the Manhattan dis¬
trict to the Air Forces came this re¬
quest: ‘Get us on film,’ said the scien¬
tists, ‘the first one-tenth of a second
after bomb-burst. And if possible, get
it so that it can be broken down for
analysis to less than one ten-thousandth
of a second.’ For good measure, the
AAF has gone the Manhattan District
one better; the delivered film was so
marked that it can be measured in terms
of 500-millionths of a second.”
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American Cinematographer • October, 1946
383
Current Assignments
As this issue of AMERICAN CINE¬
MATOGRAPHER goes to press, mem¬
bers of the A. S. C. are engaged as Di¬
rectors of Photography on the following
productions in the Hollywood studios:
Columbia
Joseph Walker, “The Guilt of Janet
Ames,” with Rosalind Russell, Melvyn
Douglas, Sid Caesar, Nina Foch.
Ray Fernstrom, “The Last of the Red-
men,” with Jon Hall, Michael O’Shea,
Evelyn Ankers, Julie Bishop.
Charles Lawton, Jr., “They Walk
Alone,” with Glenn Ford, Janis Carter,
Barry Sullivan, Edgar Buchanan.
Fred Jackman, Jr., “Twin Sombreros,”
(Cinecolor), with Randolph Scott, Bar¬
bara Britton.
Vincent Farrar, “Cigarette Girl,” with
Leslie Brooks, Jimmy Lloyd.
George Meehan, “Inside Story,” with
Chester Morris, Constance Dowling.
Enterprise
Russell Metty, “Arch of Triumph,”
with Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer,
Ruth Warrick, Louis Calhern, Michael
Chekhov, J. Edward Bromberg.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Charles Schoenbaum, “Summer Holi¬
day,” (Technicolor), with Mickey Roon¬
ey, Gloria DeHaven, Walter Huston,
Frank Moi’gan.
Robert Surtees, “Unfinished Dance,”
(Technicolor), with Margaret O’Brien,
Cyd Charisse, Danny Thomas.
Karl Freund, “This Time For Keeps,”
with Esther Williams, Johnnie Johnston,
of A. S. C. Members
Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchoir, Xa¬
vier Cugat.
Hal Rosson, “To Kiss and to Keep,”
with Gene Kelly, Marie McDonald,
Charles Winninger, Spring Byington.
Robert Planck, “It Happened in
Brooklyn,” with Frank Sinatra, Kath¬
ryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy
Durante.
Paul Vogel, “Merton of the Movies,”
with Red Skelton, Virginia O’Brien, Alan
Mowbray.
Sidney Wagner, “The Yankee,” with
Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, Dean
Stockwell.
George Folsey, “Green Dolphin Street,”
with Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Richard
Hart, Donna Reed, Edmund Gwenn,
Reginald Owen.
Monogram
Henry Sharp, “It Happened on Fifth
Avenue,” with Ann Harding, Victor
Moore.
Harry Neumann, “Cisco and the An¬
gel,” with Gilbert Roland, Frank Yac-
onelli.
Paramount
George Barnes, “Emperor Waltz,”
(Technicolor), with Bing Crosby, Joan
Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson,
Sig Ruman.
Ray Rennahan, “Unconquered, (Tech¬
nicolor), with Gary Cooper, Paulette
Goddard, Howard DaSilva, Cecil Kella-
way, Ward Bond, Katherine DeMille,
Boris Karloff.
Daniel Fapp, “Golden Earrings,” with
Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, Murvyn
Vye, Bruce Lester, Reinhold Schunzel,
Quentin Reynolds, Ivan Triesault.
Charles Lang, “Desert Town,” (Tech¬
nicolor) (Hal Wallis Prod.) with John
Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott, Burt Lancas¬
ter, Mary Astor.
Ernest Lazslo, “Dear Ruth,” with Joan
Caulfield, William Holden, Edward Ar¬
nold.
John Seitz, “The Big Haircut,” with
Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, Dorothy La-
mour, Lloyd Nolan.
Jack Greenhalgh, “Adventure Island,”
(Cinecolor) (Pine-Thomas Prod.) with
Rory Calhoun, Rhonda Fleming, Paul
Kelly, John Abbott, Alan Napier.
PRC
Walter Streng, “Lighthouse,” with
June Lang, Don Castle, John Litel.
RKO
Nick Musuraca, “The Bachelor and
the Bobby-Soxer,” with Cary Grant,
Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, Rudy
Vallee.
Harry Wild, “They Won’t Believe
Me,” with Robert Young, Susan Hay¬
ward,
Sol Polito, “A Time to Kill,” (Hakim-
Litvak Prod.) with Henry Fonda, Bar¬
bara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price, Ann
Dvorak.
Republic
John Alton, “Hit Parade,” with Ed¬
die Albert, Constance Moore.
Screen Guild Productions
Robert Pittack, “Queen of the Ama¬
zons,” with Patricia Morison, Robert
Lowery, J. Edward Bromberg.
James Brown, Jr., “Renegade Girl,”
with Alan Curtis, Ann Savage, Jack
Holt, Russell Wade.
20th Century-Fox
Arthur Arling, “Home Stretch,”
(Technicolor), with Cornel Wilde, Mau¬
reen O’Hara, Glenn Langan, Helen Wal¬
ker.
Charles Clarke, “Bob, Son of Battle,”
(Technicolor), with Peggy Ann Garner,
Lon McCallister, Edmund Gwenn.
Benjamin Kline, “Backlash,” (Sol
Wurtzel Prod.) with Richard Travis,
Jean Rogers, Larry Blake.
Norbert Brodine, “Boomerang,” with
Dana Andrews, Frank Latimore, Jane
Wyatt, Lee J. Cobb.
United Artists
William Mellor, “Carnegie Hall,”
(Federal Films) with Marsha Hunt,
William Prince, Martha O’Driscoll,
Frank McHugh, Felix Bressart, Hans
Jaray and Leopold Stowkowski, Jascha
Heifetz, Bruno Walter, Artur Rodzin-
ski, Lily Pons, Rise Stevens.
Franz Planer, “Vendetta,” (Califor¬
nia Pictures), with DeGeorge, Faith
Domergue, Hillary Brooke, Nigel Bruce,
J. Carroll Naish.
Lucien Androit, “New Orleans,” (Ma¬
jestic Prods.) with Arturo de Cordova,
Dorothy Patrick, Marjorie Lord, Rich¬
ard Hageman, Irene Rich, Louis Arm¬
strong.
Russell Harlan, “Red River,” (Mon¬
terey Prods.) with John Wayne, Mont¬
gomery Clift, Walter Brennan, John Ire¬
land, Margaret O’Sheridan.
John Boyle, “Who Killed Doc Robin,”
(Cinecolor) (Hal Roach) with Larry
Olsen, Eilene Jannsen.
Universal-International
George Robinson, W. Howard Greene,
“Flare of Tripoli,” (Technicolor) with
Yvonne DeCarlo, George Brent, Brod
Crawford, Andy Devine, Lois Collier,
Arthur Treacher, Albert Dekker.
Hal Mohr, “I’ll Be Yours,” with Dean¬
na Durbin, Tom Drake, William Ben-
dix, Adolphe Menjou.
Warners
Joe Valentine, “Possessed,” with Joan
Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond Massey,
Geraldine Brooks.
James Wong Howe, “Pursued,” (Unit¬
ed States Pictures) with Teresa Wright,
Robert Mitchum, Judith Anderson, Alan
Hale.
Wesley Anderson, “Love and Learn,”
with Jack Carson, Robert Hutton, Mar¬
tha Vickers, Janis Paige.
Peverell Marley, “Night Unto Night,”
with Viveca Lindfors, Ronald Regan,
Bruce Bennett, Rosemary De Camp.
Victor Milner, A.S.C.,
Takes Bride
Victor Milner, A.S.C. past president of
the organization and one of the fore¬
most Directors of Photography over a
long period of years, was married on
July 21st to Edith Glidden. Disclosure
was made following the return of the
Milners from a honeymoon trip through
Mexico and Guatemala.
384
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
SMPE Convention Plans
(Continued from Page 362)
of the mechanisms and practices em¬
ployed in the motion picture industry;
and the dissemination of scientific knowl¬
edge by publication.
Semi-annual conventions were set up
immediately, where technical papers
were presented and discussions invited.
In studying proposals for new stand¬
ards and procedures for motion picture
engineering, the officers and committees
of the SMPE always consult with rep¬
resentatives of every branch of the mo¬
tion picture industry to assure that
their recommendations represent major¬
ity opinion, with maximum benefits to
all concerned. By this procedure, the
Society has coordinated on a national
basis the engineering thinking of an en¬
tire industry, and has led the motion
picture industry to accept technical im¬
provements which increase the efficiency
or operation in production, distribution
and exhibition.
In order to effectively carry on the
engineering and technical phases which
embrace every factor of engineering and
technique of motion pictures from pro¬
duction through to the time a film is
projected on a theatre screen, total of
24 committees operate within the SMPE.
Because of the constant improvement
and advance in motion picture engineer¬
ing — especially in such a fast-moving
industry such as films — the Society
leaders early decided that semi-annual
conventions were necessary. Under pres¬
ent policy, every third session is held
in Hollywood in order to generate closer
contacts between the research engineers
of the east with those in the studios.
Ampro Slide Projector
Ampro Corporation of Chicago is in¬
troducing a post-war slide projector un¬
der trade name of Amproslide. Machine,
taking two by two inch slides, embodies
patented features which allows for easier
and faster operation.
B. <& H. Distributes Radiant
Screens
Bell & Howell offices and sales or¬
ganization will handle distribution of
Radiant projection screens, according to
joint announcement of the two com¬
panies.
An Ace Heads East
(Continued from Page 374)
improved cinema that we’ll be working
for. I’m staying behind that view¬
finder because I can’t see myself set¬
tling down to the life of a golf-playing
country gentleman. The motion picture
industry is too vital, too alive — I’d never
be happy away from it.”
The trip that Jimmy plans to make
in the fall will be a sort of sabbatical
leave from Warner Bros., where his con¬
tract has a bit longer to run. He will
spend from six to eight weeks in the
Orient setting the groundwork for his
various film enterprises, so that when
his Warner contract is completed he
can take off permanently for China and
the work he wants to do. When that
day arrives, he will leave Hollywood
taking with him a cargo of thoughts —
thoughts of the past and of the future.
He’ll be thinking of the happy, exciting
years he’s spent in Hollywood, of the
friends he’s made, and of the light and
shade he has been able to put on film.
He’ll be thinking, too, of a vast land
across the sea where countless millions
of people thirst for knowledge and news
of the world outside. And he’ll be happy,
because he’ll be bringing them that world
on strips of film.
Unseld Back With Bell &
Howell After Army Service
Major Robert H. Unseld, recently re¬
leased from service with the Army Air
Corps, has returned to the Bell & Howell
organization as general advertising man¬
ager. Unseld joined B. & H. in 1935, and
received successive promotions within
the company until appointment to post
of general advertising manager in 1939.
He received leave of absence in early
1942 for service with the AAF.
Wollensak Optical Resumes
Civilian Production
Wollensak Optical Co., having com¬
pleted government contracts, is resuming
full-time production of optical instru¬
ments. Because of retooling and other
plant changes required for full return
to normal production of civilian goods,
only limited supplies of cine lenses, shut¬
ters, etc., will be available for some
months, according to company announce¬
ment.
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Used In Every Major Studio
Illustrated Literature on Request
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 28, Calif.
RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
Rents . . . Sells . . . Exchanges
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION
of Motion Pictures Provided
by a Veteran Organization
of Specialists
35 mm . 16 mm.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1910
729 Seventh Ave., New York City
Cable Address: RUBYCAM
B&H-THC LENSES
B&H -Taylor-Hobson Cooke
Cine Lenses are designed to serve
you for many years. They antici¬
pate constant improvement in
the resolving power of films, and
are fully corrected for extended
spectrum color processes. Write
for literature.
EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS.
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
fit
X
BELL & HOWELL
COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1848 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Hollywood: 716 N. La Brea Ave.
Washington, D.C.: 1221 G St., N.W.
London: 13-14 Great Casde St.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • October, 1946
385
Mitchell Camera Acquires
Enlarged Factory
Mitchell Camera Corporation, which
is noted for its manufacture of precision
cameras for motion picture production,
has acquired a completely modern build¬
ing embracing 138,000 feet of floor space
on a six-acre site at 666 West Harvard
Street, Glendale, Calif. Included in the
purchase is a wealth of precision ma¬
chinery and equipment which, added to
that already operated by Mitchell, will
speed up production of the 35 mm. BNC
production cameras, the new 16mm. pro¬
fessional cameras, and other apparatus
for film production, including both 35mm.
and 16mm. projectors.
Officials of the company state that the
enlarged facilities will also permit
greater research and experimentation
in the camera and projector fields. And,
as in the past, Mitchell will continue to
work in close cooperation with studio
cameramen and technicians.
The new factory will be formally
opened on October 17th with a recep¬
tion and buffet supper to which leading
studio executives, producers, directors,
cameramen and engineers will be invited.
Feature of the evening will be a dem¬
onstration of the new Mitchell 16mm.
professional camera soon to be avail¬
able.
McKINLEY
PHOTO LABORATORIES
5005 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 27
8
MM
CAMERAS
PROJECTORS
ACCESSORIES
FILM
16
MM
Still Processing • Photo Finishing
Sound Services. Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORDI NG
(floAAifi&cL (Mvsudhim jl
FOR SALE
WE BUY, SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT. NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD¬
ING MANUFACTURERS. RUBY CAMERA
EXCHANGE, 729 Seventh Ave.. New York City.
Established since 1910.
200-FT. CAPACITY, detachable magazine, MORI-
GRAF French-made spring-driven 36mm. cam¬
era, 3-lens revolving turret, direct focusing,
fitted with 28 mm., 40 mm., and 76 mm.
Apochromat F :2 lenses, and 6" F :2.5, 6 maga¬
zines, sound aperture, focus thru ground glass
or thru aperture, parallax finder, complete —
$1050.00
400 ft. inside magazine ASKANIA, hand-
dissolved shutter, direct focus, speed indicator. 3
magazines, 2" and 3" Carl Zeiss F:3.6 lenses,
price, complete . $500.00
Complete range of Astro Pan-Tachar and very
fine Cine lenses.
BASS CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St..
Chicago 2, Ill.
BARGAIN LENS SPECIALS for use on Eyemo
Cameras : 1” F :4.5 Bell & Howell Wide Angle
Anastigmat in fixed mount — $59.50 ; 1" F:2.3
Kinar Wide Angle in focusing mount (Similar
to B&L Baltar) — $99.50; 2%" F:1.5 Schneider
Xenon in focusing mount, coated— $224.50 ; 2"
F :2 Schneider Xenon in focusing mount, coated
- — $118.00; 3" F :2 Steinheil Anastigmat in focus¬
ing mount, coated — $119.50; 3" F:3.8 Schneider
Tele-Xenar in focusing mount, coated — $95.00 ;
3%" F :2.5 Optis Anastigmat in focusing mount,
coated — $99.50; 3J£" F:1.8 Erneman Ernostar
in focusing mount, coated — $199.50; 4" F:3.8
Schneider Tele-Xenar in focusing mount, coated
$129.50 ; 5" F :2.3 Schneider Xenar in focusing
mount, coated — $325.00; 5" F:2.3 Astro Pan
Tachar in focusing mount, coated — $343.75 ;
5^4" F:3.5 Erneman Ernon in focusing mount,
coated — $144.50; 6" F:1.8 Astro Pan Tachar in
focusing mount, coated — $445.00 ; 6" F :2.3 Astro
Pan Tachar in focusing mount, coated — $365.00 ;
7" F :3.5 Erneman Ernon in focusing mount,
coated — $118.00; 10" F:4.5 Bell & Howell Anas¬
tigmat in focus mount with yellow filter —
$206.25 ; 16" F:5.5 Hugo Meyer Tele Megor in
focus mount, coated — $199.50 ; 400 Foot 35 mm
magazines for Bell & Howell Eyemo and Pro¬
fessional cameras — $49.50 ; Many others avail¬
able. Write for Eyemo Lens List. All lenses
sold on a 15 day trial basis ; Satisfaction guar¬
anteed of full refund ; 50 years of service. We
will buy your surplus lenses and cameras for
cash. Tell us what you have. BURKE AND
JAMES, INC., 321 So. Wabash Avenue, Chicago
4, Illinois.
6" EYEMAX F :4.5 FIXED FOCUS “C” MOUNT
$64.50. NEUMAN-SINCLAIR 35MM. CAMERA,
6 VOLT MOTOR, 5 MAGAZINES, CASES, TRI¬
POD, $800.00. DE BRIE MODEL “L” ASTRO
LENS, 6 MAGAZINES, CASES, TRIPOD, 12
VOLT MOTOR, $875.00. MODEL “D” MOVI¬
OLA, NEW, $265.00. 35MM ADVANCE CINE
EDITOR, $165.00. SYNCHRONIZERS 16-35
MM. FROM $50.00. SPLICERS, REWINDS.
WANTED— CINE SPECIALS, MAURER. AUR-
ICON RECORDERS, FILMOS, EYEMOS, BELL
& HOWELL AND MITCHELL CAMERAS.
CAMERA MART, 70 W. 45th ST., NEW YORK
LATEST RCA 35mm Studio Recorder, rebuilt,
$4,250.00 ; Depue Optical Reduction Printer, re¬
built, $2995.00 ; Eyemo Spider Turret Camera,
3 lenses, $595.00 ; DeBrie Newsreel Camera, 3
lenses, 6 magazines, motor, tripod, $295.00 ;
early Mitchell Camera, magazines, lenses, tri¬
pod, rebuilt, $2450.00 ; Eyemo Turret, magazine,
motor, 4 lenses, tripod, $1095.00 ; Duplex 35mm
Printer, $495.00; Moviolas, $195.00; 2000W
Studio Spots, $57.50 ; Akeley Newsreel Camera,
Gyrotripod, $695.00. Send for listings. S.O.S.
CINEMA SUPPLY CORPORATION, 449 W.
42nd Street, New York 18.
BOOM lightstand $25.00, large, 10 feet high, 7
feet long, takes 750 watt F. spotlamp. Tripod
$7.95, Heads $3.95, Dolly $10.95 plus taxes.
Good discounts — terms. Sales representative
wanted. Read Photo Mfgs., 1619 Glendale Blvd.,
Los Angeles 26, Calif.
FOR SALE. AURICON 16MM SOUND RECORD¬
ING EQUIPMENT COMPLETE WITH AMPLI¬
FIER AND MICROPHONE. EXCELLENT
CONDITION $1,000.00. HOLLYWOOD COLOR-
FILM, 230 WEST OLIVE AVENUE, BUR¬
BANK, CALIFORNIA.
EYEMO CAMERA Model K, 8 to 48 speed, wltn
Vario positive finder, adapted for external mag¬
azines and electric drive, with 250mm. f4.5 B &
H Eymax coated, 150mm. f4.5 Eymax coated,
75mm. f2.3 B&L Baltar, carrying case, all in
good condition. J. W. Martin, 21 E. Walnut St.,
Hinsdale, Ill.
MITCHELL, Step Printer. 16MM $200.00. Sam’s
Electric Shop, 35 Monroe St., Passaic, N. J.
MITCHELL FRICTION HEAD, Baby tripod.
Adaptor to Akeley leveling Bowl, New Model
Eyemo, Martens type Densitometer, Wild Motor
with Tachometer for B & H Standard, 75mm.
Speed Panchro “C” mounted, Gorton Panta-
graph Engraver, Filmosound Projector. MOVIE-
SOUND, 164-12 110th Rd., Jamaica, N. Y.
WANTED
MOVIE FILMS WANTED— Original sport films,
boxing, wrestling, jui jitsui, fencing, etc.,
35mm., 16mm., or 8 mm. Positive or negative,
any footage, edited or not. Peerless Sales,
Room 904, 1472 Broadway, New York City.
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL, B & H, EYEMO. DEBRIE. AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 1*
CABLE; CINEQUIP
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO¬
GRAPHIC. Write us today. Hollywood Camera
Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
LABORATORY, STUDIO, or Recording Equip¬
ment, Sound Projectors, Cameras, Tripods. Pay
Highest Prices. S.O.S. CAMERA SUPPLY
CORP., 440 W. 42nd Street, New York 18.
16MM CAMERAS, Projectors, Laboratory Equip¬
ment. Sam’s Electric Shop, 35 Monroe Street,
Passaic, N. J.
WANTED — Professional 16mm. motion picture
cameraman. Must have production experience.
Good salary plus travelling expenses. Write
Cine-Pic Hawaii Studios, 1847 Fort Street,
Honolulu, Hawaii, stating experience and listing
references.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16na/m) R. C. A,
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMS, 1101 North Capitol Street,
Washington, D.C.
WE Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras, Projectors, Lab¬
oratory and Cutting Room Equipment. 8-16-35-
mm. We pay highest prices. Carry one of the
most diversified stocks in America. Mogull’s
Camera & Film Exchange, 57 West 48th Street,
New York 19, N. Y.
JACK LEPPERT, cinematographer for Television
Enterprise “Rivers and Man”. Assignments —
productions. Color results guaranteed. HE-1392-
6770 % Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.
CAMERA & SOUND MEN
PRODUCTION U N|I|T
Camera and sound men, artistically and scien¬
tifically skilled, well-equipped MODERN
SOUND STUDIO, high-fidelity play-back. Stage
set construction.
ROLAB
Sandy Hook, Connecticut
90 minutes from New York City
Telephone : Newton 581
386
October, 1946 • American Cinematographer
A Team for
Production Work
WITH their fine grain, their similar rates
of development, and their speed relation¬
ship that permits apertures of the same
order for both exteriors and interiors, these
two films form an ideal team for production
work . . .
. . . Eastman Plus-X . . . for general studio
use.
. . . Eastman Background-X . . . for exterior
use, under good lighting conditions.
And when little light is available . . . when
there’s a need for increased depth of field
without undue increase in illumination . . .
Super-XX , another member of the Eastman
family of films, gives this team added ver¬
satility and usefulness.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
J. E. BRULATOUR, INC., DISTRIBUTORS
FORT LEE CHICAGO HOLLYWOOD
nvite the world’s greatest
screen stars Into your own living room
with
rJLhe world’s greatest actors and musicians — see them and
hear them in your own living room at your pleasure!
Filmosound, the 16mm Bell & Howell projector, brings them
to you with sound-on-jibn realism never before achieved. Bril¬
liant 1000-watt illumination, plus new coated lens, produces
clear, true screen images. At all volume levels, sound is natural
and undistorted.
Choose your "home theater” programs from thousands of
fine films in Filmosound Library. (You can also show your
own 16mm silent films.)
Filmosound’s exclusive engineering features banish the dan¬
gers of film damage. Operation is cooler, quieter, and more
dependable than ever before. And Filmosound is easy to use.
See your B&H dealer now — see Filmosound in action. Or
write for illustrated booklet to Bell & Howell Company, 7148
McCormick Road, Chicago 45; New York 20; Hollywood 38;
Washington 5, D. C.; London.
THIS HUGE LIBRARY SUPPLIES YOUR FILMS
Filmosound Library has more than 5,000 fine movies you can
rent or buy — every type of film to suit your taste. The new
catalogs are free to users of movie equipment.
in OPTI-ONIC 5 — products combining the sciences of OPTIcs • electrONics • mechanics
Since 1907 the Largest Manufacturer of Professional Motion Picture
Equipment for Hollywood and the World
THE mor/on
For dramatic lighting
SUPERIOR 2
A general-purpose negative stock, Du Pont Superior 2
is particularly suitable for dramatic lighting effects. It
combines fine grain with high speed. It provides ex¬
cellent exposure in both highlight and shadow areas.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (Inc.), Photo Prod¬
ucts Department, Wilmington 98, Delaware.
In New 1 ork: Empire State Building
In Chicago: 225 N. Wabash Avenue
In Hollywood: 6656 Santa Monica Blvd.
Features: Speed
1. Extreme wide latitude * 5. Excellent flesh tones
2. Color balance 6. Uniformity
3. Fine grain 7. Retention of latent image
( Listen to " Cavalcade of America Monday evenings on NBC)
BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING
... THROUGH CHEMISTRY
IF there’s one kind of American equipment
that’s known the world around, it’s Eyemo
— the camera that has "seen everything” in
every corner of the world.
It’s precision construction proved and re¬
proved under every possible condition of
weather, war, and peace. Eyemo guarantees
that what you see, you get.
Before the war, the Bell & Howell Eyemo
was considered official equipment for the
world’s ace newsreel men. During the war,
Eyemo went into combat with every branch of
our fighting forces. And today Eyemo continues
to be the One World’s truthful eye — getting the
news wherever it happens, getting it fast, get¬
ting it right.
Seven models, with correlated accessories,
give you a camera suitable for every field or
studio need. Send the coupon today for full de¬
tails on all models.
Bell & Howell Company, Chicago; New
York; Hollywood; Washington, D. C.; London.
OPTI-ONICS — products combining the sciences of OPTIcs
electrONics • mechanics
BELL & HOWELL COMPANY
7148 McCormick Road, Chicago 45
Please send me information on Bell & Howell
Eyemo Cameras and correlated accessories.
L
SINCE 1907 THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF PROFESSIONAL MOTION PICTURE EQUIPMENT FOR HOLLYWOOD AND THE WORLD
Mitchell will film the great 16’s
Now in full production, the Mitchell 16 nun Professional Camera
will soon be in the hands of 16 mm producers and cameramen. With
it they will be able to reach the same high standards of technical
perfection now prevalent in the 35 mm motion picture.
The Mitchell ”16” is virtually identical to the famous Mitchell ”35”
It eliminates the harassing uncertainties with which 16 mm camera¬
men have struggled. Using the Mitchell, the cameraman knows that
the "take” he has made is on the film. Completely maneuverable,
built with utmost precision — the Mitchell ”16” is dependable, always.
When you own a Mitchell, you ow>i one of the world's great cameras.
for the complete story of the Mitchell 16 mm Professional — write
today for your free copy of this beautifully illustrated booklet.
JAMES WONG HOWE, A. S. C., is one
of Hollywood's best known cameramen.
Favored by stars because of his subtle,
glamorizing lighting effects, has done
much of his finest work with a Mitchell.
/Pf/fcde//
CAMERA CORPORATION
666 WEST HARVARD ST. • DEPT. 8 • GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
Cable Address : “Ml TC A M C O"
85% of the motion pictures shown in theatres throughout the world are filmed with a Mitchell
VOL. 27 NOVEMBER, 1946 NO. 11
CONTENTS
The Staff
Aces of the Camera (Charles P. Boyle, A.S.C.) . . .By W. G. C. Bosco 395
New Motion Picture Equipment and Practices Disclosed
at SMPE Convention . 396
Mitchell Camera Company Opens New Plant for Expanded Production 399
M-G-M Pioneers with Subjective Feature . By Herb A. Lightman 400
Maurer Introduces New Professional 16MM. Camera . 402
The Cinema Workshop (5. On the Set) . By Charles Loring 404
Nashville's Youthful Film Enterprise . By Roe Fleet 406
Among the Movie Clubs . 410
Personalized Greeting Trailers for the Holidays . By James R. Oswald 412
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members . 424
ON THE FRONT COVER — Fred Jackman, Jr., Director of Photography
on Harry Joe Brown’s Cinecolor production of “Twin Sombreros” for
Columbia release, takes a lightmeter reading on Dorothy Hart; with co-star
Randolph Scott an interested spectator. Michell camera at the left has
been especially adapted to shoot the bi-pack (two color) Cinecolor method.
Still by Irving Lippman.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith, President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Shamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke, Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edeson Gordon Jennings John Seitz
George Folsey Sol Polito William Skall
Lee Gannes Joseph Walker
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse. A.S.C.
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner, A.S.C.
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Du err
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A.S.C.
John Arnold, A.S.C.
Arthur Edeson. A.S.C.
Lee Gannes, A.S.C.
Charles Rosher, A.S.C.
Leon Shamroy, A.S.C.
Fred Gage, A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A.S.C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, A.S.C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees, A.S.C.
Dr. W. B. Rayon, A.S.C.
Dr. V. B. Sease. A.S.C.
e
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
e
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions : United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year; Foreign, $3.50. Single copies, 25c;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies, 36c,
back numbers, 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
393
. . . and look at the VICTOR ANIMTOPHOM ”
"Yes, for just a moment, let’s turn to¬
ward the projector and see why Victor
is ‘the finest in 16mm Sound Motion
Picture Equipment.’ First, the Victor
Projector has correct basic design . . .
easily threaded, simple to operate and
maintain, with handy controls. Second,
the Victor Projector has many exclu¬
sive safety features to protect your
valuable film. Lastly, the Victor Pro
jector has the famous 'straight line
beam’ for more brilliant illumination
and the stationary sound drum for
truest sound fidelity.
"Now, turn around in your chair — watch
the screen — you’re about to witness
perfect 16mm projection. We’re using
the Victor Animatophone — 'the finest
in 16mm Sound Motion Picture Equip¬
ment’, attested by users everywhere.”
VICTOR
/Mil MATO GRAPH CORPORATION
A DIVISION OF CURTISS* WRIGHT CORPORATION
Home Office and Factory: Davenport, Iowa
New York • Chicago
Distributors Throughout the World
MAKERS
I 6 M M
E Q U I
M
N
SINCE
19 2 3
viMM
ONE of the best known, and cer¬
tainly one of the best liked cam¬
eramen around the studios today
is the always amiable, superbly compe-
entent Charlie Boyle; who changed his
original by-line, Chas. Boyle, to the
more melliflous Charles P. Boyle,
A. S. C. ; not for the reasons of per¬
sonal vanity, but for the very practical
purpose of utilizing more space on the
credit title. Such are the lengths to
which self-respecting cameramen must
go in order to get recognition.
In the 27 years that have gone by
since Charlie first took his stance behind
a camera he has been assigned to pro¬
ductions by most of the studios in Holly¬
wood, both past and present, and has
won for himself a niche in the cine¬
matic Hall of Fame. But, as he sits
with his charming wife in their North
Hollywood home, does he ever wonder
what might have been his fate had
Paul Perry thrown a ‘snake eyes’ in¬
stead of a ‘natural’ during a certain
momentous crap game at Balboa Beach?
You see, Charlie had not long been
out of the army, and he was so fed up
with the rigors of wet and cold weather,
to which he had been exposed for four
years in all its elemental unpleasant¬
ness, that, when he returned home to
Illinois, he decided that he would most
certainly remove himself to either Flori¬
da or California — but immediately. A
friend of his, Paul Perry, who was even
then achieving fame as a cameraman,
had already located in Hollywood and
urged Charlie to join him. Charlie wrote
and said he would, if Paul could lend
him $100 with which to make the trip.
It seems that Paul received this letter
when he was on location at Balboa, and
had at his command a mere $50. But it
also seems that somewhere there was a
crap game in progress. And so, with a
sigh, and a final look at his last fifty
bucks, strengthened in his resolve by
the realization that this was for a good
cause, Paul rolled once for fifty. A seven
showed. And despite the loud protesta¬
tions of the losers who thought they
should have a chance to get their money
back, Paul scooped up the winnings and,
before he could change his mind, mailed
it all to Charles P.
That little windfall brought Charlie
out on the next train; and, once in
Hollywood, Paul again came to the res¬
cue by lining him up with an assistant’s
job at Paramount, to begin within
thirty days. In the meantime Paul in¬
sisted that Charlie get the ‘feel’ of a
camera and practice cranking. So, every
day, for thirty days, Charlie worked out
in the camera loading room with an
empty camera and a stop-watch. By the
end of that time he could crank at speed
in his sleep.
When the picture started — it was
“The Round-up,” starring Fatty Ar-
bucle — Charlie wondered why Paul had
him spend so much time learning to
crank a camera. As an assistant he
couldn’t get near the crank. “Well,”
said Paul, “in this business it pays to
CHARLES P. BOYLE, A.S.C.
By W. C. C. BOSCO
be ready for anything. You never can
tell what will happen.”
The words were strangely prophetic.
It was December, 1919, and the great
influenza epidemic was sweeping the
country. The company was on location
up at Lone Pine and its ranks were deci¬
mated. The Indian extras were going
down like flies, and on the camera crew
first Paul Perry, then his brother Harry,
were stricken. The director was at his
wits’ end and decided that there was
nothing to do but pack up and go home.
But Charlie, whose life in the army had
made him immune to everything, offered
his services. The director decided to-
give him a trial.
Having taken particular notice, dur¬
ing the few short days he had served
as their assistant, that Paul and Harry
had methodically changed their lens
aperture at certain times of the day,
Charlie did likewise. It seemed to be
an infallible rule. In thirty days of
shooting no camera retakes were neces¬
sary.
And so, within the short space of a
few weeks, a lucky seven and a ‘flu epi-
(Continued on Page 418)
ACES of the CAMERA
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
395-
New Motion Picture Equipment and
Practices Disclosed at SMPE Convention
SOCIETY of Motion Picture Engi¬
neers celebrated its 30th anniver¬
sary with the greatest and largest-
attended convention in the organization’s
history at the Hollywood Roosevelt
Hotel, October 21st to 25th. The 10 tech¬
nical sessions provided a wealth of in¬
formation on new procedures, practices,
apparatus and equipment via a total of
65 papers and demonstrations, to set a
new record for a single convention.
Research scientists, engineers and
technicians of manufacturers of all
phases of motion picture equipment for
production and exhibition, journeyed to
Hollywood to give and receive vital in¬
formation to accentuate the technical
progress of the industry on a world-wide
basis. Among the more than 250 out-of-
town members attending were several
from Europe, China, Canada, Central and
South America.
Papers and demonstrations disclosed
heretofore secret wartime developments
in various phases of electronics and pho¬
tography which can be adapted in many
ways to increase the technical perfection
of motion picture practices. Because of
restrictions imposed by the SMPE in
fully reporting papers delivered until
after publication in the SMPE Journal
during the coming six months, it is im¬
possible to go into detail on subject mat¬
ter of a number of pertinent papers, but
highlights will be listed in the latter
portions of this article on some of the
important subjects dealing with cinema¬
tography and related practices, where
basic information was available.
Ryder New President
Loren L. Ryder, director of Paramount
Studios sound department and executive
vice president of the SMPE for the past
two years, has been elected president of
the organization for 1947 and 1948, as¬
suming office January 1st. Other new
officers include: Earl I. Sponable of
Movietone News, executive vice presi¬
dent; Clyde R. Keith of Electrical Re¬
search Products Division of Western
Electric, editorial vice president; W. C.
Kunzmann of National Carbon Co., con¬
vention vice president; Edmund A. Bert¬
ram of De Luxe Laboratories, treasurer;
and G. T. Lorance of General Precision
Laboratory, secretary.
New members of the board of gover¬
nors, each elected for a two year term,
include: David B. Joy, R. M. Corbin, Dr.
C. R. Daily, Hollis W. Moyse, and John
W. Boyle, A.S.C.
Pioneers Honored
For distinguished pioneering in the
motion picture engineering field, on
recommendation of the honorary awards
committee and approval of the Board of
Governors, the names of Sam Warner,
E. B. Craft and Theodore Case were
added to the SMPE Honor Roll.
Members approved for Fellowship rat¬
ing in the Society include: John W.
Boyle, A.S.C. ; Ralph B. Austrian of RKO
Television Corporation; Edmund A. Bert¬
ram of De Luxe Laboratories; William
F. Offenhauser, Jr., consultant to Colum¬
bia Broadcasting System; Thomas T.
Moulton, sound director for 20th-Fox
Studios; Lawrence T. Tachtleben of
RCA-Victor Division, Radio Corporation
of America; and A. Shapiro of Ampro
Corporation, Chicago.
The SMPE Journal Award was pre¬
sented to Ralph Talbot of Eastman
Kodak for his paper, “The Projection
Life of Film,” which was published in
the August, 1945 issue of the Journal.
Citations for Sound Pioneering
In recognition of the 20th anniversary
of the first commercially successful ex¬
hibition of sound films, SMPE President
Don Hyndman presented Scrolls of
Achievement to a number of companies
concerned with the early development
of sound. Those honored were: Bell
Laboratories, accepted by Dr. Harvey
Fletcher, Director of Physical Research;
Dr. Lee de Forest, whose citation was
accepted in his absence by Jack Gaines;
General Electric Company, with S. E.
Gates accepting; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Studios, acceptance by Douglas Shearer,
director of sound engineering; Twentieth
Century-Fox, with Earl I. Sponable ac¬
cepting; Radio Corporation of America,
accepted by Max C. Batsel; Western
Electric Company, Inc., with vice presi¬
dent T. K. Stevenson accepting; and
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, ac¬
ceptance by vice president Charles A.
Dostal.
Sam Warner Memorial Award
Warner Brothers Pictures will sponsor
an annual award to be administered by
(Continued on Page 416)
396
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Executives who accepted Citation Scrolls for their companies. Left to right: DUPONT OFFICIALS. Left to right: Hollis W. Moyse, Myron A. Hatfield,
T. K. Stevenson, Western Electric Company; Earl I. Sponable, 20th Century-Fox M. Richard Boyer, Norman F. Oakley, Peter L. Shamray.
Movietone News; Douglas Shearer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; President Don Hyndman,
who made the presentations; Max Batsel, RCA; S. E. Gates, General Electric Co.;
Dr. Harvey Fletcher, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc.; Charles A. Dostal, Westing-
house Electric Corp., and Jack Gaines, for absent Dr. Lee de Forest.
A.S.C. MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. Left to right: John Boyle, A.S.C., Colonel
Nathan Levinson, Charles G. Clarke, A.S.C., Charles Rosher, A.S.C., Oscar
Neu, William Prager, A. Shapiro.
ANSCO EAST-WEST EXECUTIVES. Left to right: Gerson Barth, Harold C. Harsh,
Dr. H. H. Duerr, T. Keith Glennan, E. Allan Williford, Frank Hernfeld, J. Kneeland
Nunan, Garland C. Misener, James Forrestal.
RCA ENGINEERS AND OFFICIALS. Left to right: H. D. Bradbury, Russ Little,
Hal Maag, Dorothy O'Day, Art Blaney, Max Batsel, W. A. Wolfe, Barton Kreuzer,
Dr. E. W. Kellogg.
EASTMAN KODAK GROUP. Clockwise, starting at left rear: Robert M.
Corbin, Norman Beach, L. E. Martin, Don Hyndman, Emery Huse, Dr. A. C.
Robertson, Dr. E. Carver.
Photos by Filmcraft — Hollywood
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
397
'
AMONG A.S.C. MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED FORMAL OPENING OF NEW MITCHELL CAMERA PLANT: Winton Hoch. Wilfrid Cline. Lloyd Knechtel, Joe
Rutfenberg, Paul Eagler, Ray Foster, Leonard Smith, James Wong Howe, Charles Clarke, L. William O'Connell, Tony Gaudio, Ray Fernstrom, Glenn Kerschner„
Lee Garmes, Leon Shamroy, Karl Struss, Major Gilbert Warrenton Sol Halperin, John Beyls, Charles Rosher, and Harry Stradling.
HAND DISSOLVE
LEVER
MINiATtfaE
shutter
•SHIFT
HANDLE
RELEASE
SUTTON
/ CAMERA IN :
PHOTOGRAPHING
♦ POSITION , t —
FOCUSiNC
TELESCOPE
MAGAZINE
RELEASE
BUTTON
BUCKLE TRIP
RESET 8UTT0N
BUCKLE TRIP
COUNTER RESET KNOB
FOOTAGE AND FRAME
COUNTERS -
ADJUSTMENT
LEVEL
CAMERA IN
FOCUSING
POSITION
SIDE AND REAR VIEWS OF THE NEW MITCHELL PROFESSIONAL I6MM. CAMERA.
(J98
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Mitchell Camera Company Opens New Plant
For Expanded Production
IN formally opening- its new factory
in Glendale, California, on evening
of October 17th, Mitchell Camera
Company not only publicly displayed a
model of its professional 16mm. camera
for the first time; but also disclosed that
it would soon put into production, pro¬
fessional-type 16 and 35 mm. arc pro¬
jectors for theatrical use.
More than 1,000 producers, directors,
stars and cinematographers attended the
opening ceremonies, and inspected the
huge plant which will turn the Mitchell
precisioned cameras and projectors, and
other accessories. Greatest interest nat¬
urally centered on the new professional
16 on display, and many Directors of
Photography who have used the Mitchell
35 mm. camera on film productions dur¬
ing the past 25 years, made test shots
and enthusiastically approved the smaller
edition of the famous Mitchell.
Company officials made it most con¬
venient for the cinematographers to test
the new 16 mm. camera. A desert set
was installed in a comer of the plant,
with models on hand to pose for various
types of shots and lighting setups.
Numerous members of the A.S.C, tried
their hands at shooting short clips.
Mitchell executives announced that the
new camera had been designed specific¬
ally to meet the increasing need for pre¬
cisioned equipment in the professional
16 mm. production field. Joe Leo, vice
president, stated: “The new Mitchell 16
will mean both higher standards of pho¬
tography and reduced production costs
to the 16 mm. producers.”
Large Plant Fully Equipped
The new Mitchell factory is one of the
most modern and complete on the west
coast. It was built by the United States
government for expanded production of
Kinner aviation motors during the war,
and is on a six acre site. The 140,000
square feet of factory space on one floor
contains lathes, grinders, milling ma¬
chines and other heavy equipment which
is capable of turning out most highly-
precisioned products. A large research
laboratory is quartered on one side of
the building.
Mitchell Products
BNC studio model camera, which has
been used for many years as the stand¬
ard on film production in the Hollywood
studios.
NC standard silent production model
camera for professional 35.
Background projector for studio pro¬
duction use.
35 mm. theatrical sound projector for
theatr'cal use. (Shortly to be placed in
production).
Mitchell 16 mm. professional camera,
now in production.
Mitchell 16 mm. professional projector
(shortly to be placed in production).
Now in the course of final design and
tooling, a line of 16 mm. cameras and
projectors for home movie makers.
399
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
Left — A set still from M-G-M's "Lady in the Lake," showing preparations for film'ng one of the subjective scenes of the picture. In this set-up Robert Montgomery
is portrayed as waking up after having been knocked out in a fight. His own face is reflected in the mirror, but his standin plays the part of his "body". Right — an
approximation of this scene as it appears in the picture shown subjectively (from th) main character's viewpoint). Director-star Robert Montgomery appraises his bat¬
tered face in the mirror, while his v s-a-vis, Audrey Totter, sympathizes.
M-G-M PIONEERS WITH SUBJECTIVE
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
FEATURE
RECENTLY in these pages there
appeared a technical feature en¬
titled: “The Subjective Camera,”
which dealt with a type of cinematic
approach in which the camera assumes
the viewpoint of one of the characters
in the story. This article also suggested
that it might be an interesting experi¬
ment to film a feature-length photoplay
using the subjective technique exclusive¬
ly, so that everything shown on the
screen would appear as it looked to the
eyes of the main character.
It was never, of course, presumed that
a Hollywood studio would dare to take
so radical a step — the requirements of
“box-office” being what they are. Rather,
it seemed logical that some experimental
camera club or group would risk mak¬
ing a film of this type. But the improb¬
able has happened, for it is actually
Hollywood’s largest studio that has
dared to film the first completely sub¬
jective photoplay.
The name of the film is “Lady in the
Lake,” and it has just been completed
at M-G-M by Robert Montgomery, who
carried the dual responsibility of star
and director. When it hits the nation’s
screens shortly, it will probably be
hailed as the most unusual film ever
made — because it is indeed different.
Murder Through the Camera-Eye
“Lady in the Lake” is a murder-mys¬
tery based on a novel by Raymond
Chandler. It chronicles the adventures
This action shot, taken during the filminig of M-G-M's subjective photoplay, "Lady of the Lake," shows actor
Lloyd Nolan sparring with the camera in the sequence in which he gives the hero (i.e., the camera) a black
eye. Director of Cinematography Paul Vogel, A.S.C., operates the specially adapted Eyemo, while director
Robert Montgomery (right) supervises the action of the scene.
400 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Paul Vogel, A.S.C., Director of Cinematography on M-G-M's completely subjective photoplay: "Lady in the
Lake," demonstrates the specially adapted 400 foot Bell & Howell Eyemo used in the film's fight sequences.
Fitted with a shoulder bracket, rigid brace extending to the operator's waist, and twin handles, the camera
is usually steady and mobile. The modifications were designed by John Arnold, A.S.C., head of M-G-M's
camera department.
of a rugged private detective, Philip
Marlowe, who continually becomes in¬
volved in physical conflict with the very
murderous characters he is chasing.
Naturally, there is a good deal of vio¬
lence, with Mai’lowe fi’equently on the
receiving end.
Had this story been filmed with the
usual straightfoi’ward objective tech¬
nique, the picture might have been just
another celluloid whodunit. But, pre¬
sented from the subjective viewpoint,
it is very exciting screen-fare indeed,
and tends to pi’ove that Hollywood has
not yet tapped the full resources of its
creative ingenuity.
Assuredly it took courage to kick over
the traces of cinematic convention and
present this technique in a feature pro¬
duction. The idea can be ci’edited to di¬
rector Montgomery who had long wanted
to try the subjective approach on a full-
length film. It was also his personal cam¬
paign, coupled with intensive pi'elimi-
nary technical tests that sold the idea
to the studio heads. Now completed and
due for early release, the film is still
an unknown quantity in terms of gen¬
eral audience reception, but technically,
at least, it is a camera triumph.
As the plot of “Lady in the Lake” un¬
folds, the camera as the eye of the de¬
tective is called upon to do more acting
than any of the live members of the
cast. It engages in repeated fisticuffs,
being periodically socked in the eye,
bashed over the “face” with liquor bot¬
tles, knocked down and stomped on. It
smokes cigarettes, makes violent love to
the leading lady, and engages in a hair-
raising automobile cbase that ends in
a crash.
Mr. Montgomery, the actual hero of
the piece, is seen only in the few narra¬
tive continuity scenes, and subjectively
when he happens to step before a mirror.
Watching the film, you are at first
aware that thei'e is trickery afoot. Then,
gradually, you find yourself becoming
absorbed into the technique of the film
to the point where you suffer or thrill
right along with the hero. You see
everything that goes on just as it looks
to him (i. e., the camera).
A Challenge to Technicians
It can readily be seen that this sort
of thing called for radical departures
from standardized cinema technique.
“Lady in the Lake” is a technician’s pic¬
ture, and as such takes a vital step for¬
ward in the development of original ap¬
proaches to screen story-telling.
Special credit is due the M-G-M
camera department, and more specifi¬
cally to Paul Vogel, A. S. C., Director of
Cinematography on the film, for clever
handling of the required camera effects.
This was Vogel’s first studio assign¬
ment since his discharge from the U. S.
Army Signal Corps in which, as a cap¬
tain in charge of a special coverage mo¬
tion picture unit, he filmed combat docu¬
mentaries all over the European Theatre
of Operations. He has brought to this
film the freshness and spontaniety which
the script’s machine-gun pace and un¬
usual appi’oach demanded.
Foremost among the many camera
problems inherent in the filming of the
picture was the unusual amount of cam¬
era movement inquired in order to simu¬
late the active meanderings of detective
Marlowe. To accomplish this fluid effect,
John Arnold, A. S. C., head of M-G-M’s
camera depai’tment devised an especially
mobile camera dolly with sets of inde¬
pendently controlled wheels at either
end, much on the order of a fire engine
hook-and-ladder. This dolly “walked”
through doors, down corridors, and up
stairs with gx-eat natural facility.
Fight sequences, in which the detec¬
tive spars with his assailants and is
finally knocked down, demanded an even
greater mobility of camera. To meet this
need, Arnold designed a special shoulder
bracket and brace which he adapted to
a standard 400 foot motor-driven Bell &
Howell Eyemo. In this way, cinemato¬
grapher Vogel was able to actually
“wear” the camera and spar realistically
while doing so. As shown in the accom¬
panying illustration, the Eyemo thus
adapted would probably make an ex¬
cellent combat camera, since it would
eliminate the general complaint of serv¬
ice cameramen using the 100 foot model
that they tended to run out of film just
as they were warming up to a sequence.
New Camera Point-of-View
The matter of perspective was highly
important in planning the camera ap¬
proach to “Lady in the Lake.” Tests
were made with various focal length
lenses and it was finally decided that
the standard 50 mm. lens gave the most
normal perspective. Difficulties relating
to depth of field developed when, in cer¬
tain sequences, it was necessary to show
the main character’s hands in the fore¬
ground of the frame, with strong plot
action developing in the background. It
was difficult to hold an acceptable focus
in both planes.
(Continued on Page 425)
American Cinematographer • November, 1946 401
Maurer Introduces New
Professional 16mm. Camera
IN the past few yeai's there has been
a marked increase in the direct 16-
mm production of professional films.
This increase, however, has failed to
keep pace with the widening market for
16-mm motion pictures. One of the prin¬
cipal reasons for this relative lag in
direct 16-mm production has been the
shortage of 16-mm production equip¬
ment of professional quality. J. A.
Maurer, Inc., in announcing the new
Maurer Professional Motion Picture
Camera promises to break a severe bot¬
tle-neck in the 16-mm field.
The Maurer organization, with 12
years experience in the design and manu¬
facture of professional 16-mm cameras,
has in its new camera added many fea¬
tures never before offered in a 16-mm
camera, and several features that are
entirely new to motion picture photog¬
raphy. Among the new features are an
extremely critical high-power microscope
focusing system, and an intermittent
movement that provides accurate regis¬
tration with a pull-down claw which
registers the film at the end of the
pull-down stroke. Other features include
a rack-over mechanism for viewing-
through the taking lens, gear-driven
film magazines, and a new type large
view finder.
The view finder of the Maurer Cam¬
era gives a large erected and laterally
corrected image 214 x 3 inch in size.
The optical system works at F:5.0, giv¬
ing an image that is brilliant over the
full field. The 214 x 3 inch image is ob¬
tained for the 15-mm wide angle field,
and for the standard 25-mm field. A
set of four wires serves as a framing
device for lenses of longer focal length.
All four wires are controlled by a single
knurled detent. The Maurer finder cor¬
rects for parallax automatically as the
subject is focused in the finder. This
eliminates an adjustment that has been
necessary heretofore. The finder de¬
taches from the camera very simply,
permitting the director or cameraman
to compose and view the set from differ¬
ent angles without moving the camera.
The intermittent movement of the
new Maurer uses a pull-down claw that
serves as a registration pin as well.
The claw is made so that at full thrust
into the film perforation it completely
Side view of Maurer l&.
fills the perforation from top to bottom.
At the end of the pull-down stroke the
claw stops momentarily with the film,
the film is thereby accurately registered,
and the claw then withdraws from the
perforation in a direction perpendicular
to the film. The shutter then opens.
The new Maurer has a 235° maximum
shutter opening, giving exposure of 1/35
second at sound speed, or about V2 lens
stop additional exposure than is ob¬
tained with conventional, 170° shutters.
The shutter may be manually set to any
angle less than 235°. Automatic fades
or lap dissolves of 40 frames or 64
frames can be made by means of a
control lever on the rear cover of the
camera.
A rack-over device provides means of
viewing and focusing directly through
the taking lens. Racking the camera over
places a clear glass reticle directly be¬
hind the taking lens in the plane of the
film emulsion. A fine line etched on the
reticle frames the projector aperture, as
contrasted to the camera aperture. A
picture can thus be composed knowing
what will be photographed on the film,
and what will be projected onto the
screen.
The new Maurer has a small internal
turret by means of which the optics in
the focusing microscope may be changed
for different purposes. One turret posi¬
tion is used for viewing the field of
25-mm or longer focal length lenses.
The second turret position gives a full
view over the entire field with a 15-mm
wide angle lens in taking position. The
third turret position placefe a high-pow¬
er microscope objective in the optical
path giving a 175 diameter magnifica¬
tion of the center of the field for critical
focusing. The image formed by the cam¬
era lens is brought into simultaneous
focus with a pair of cross lines en¬
graved on the reticle and lying accur¬
ately in the film plane. This method of
critical focusing is more accurate than
the usual method of employing a meas¬
uring tape in combination with a care¬
fully calibrated focusing scale on the
lens mount. It is also a quicker and
(Continued on Page 419)
402
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
The Cinema
Workshop
(For Semi-Professional and Amateur Production)
5. On the Set
By CHARLES LORING
THE first day of shooting on any
motion picture is usually fraught
with tension. There are doubts of
one kind or another in the minds of
each person working on the film. The
director is not sure that he will be able
to establish his pace at once; his as¬
sistant is minus a thousand extras; the
cameraman is certain that he will be
either under- or over-exposed ; the ac¬
tors have all forgotten their lines, and
their minds are perfect blanks.
This kind of chaos is, up to a certain
point, a normal healthy state-of-affairs.
It indicates that all of the personnel
are thinking seriously about the job to
be done and are anxious to do it well.
Out of the confusion of the first day (if
pre-planning has been intelligently
done) there should emerge a smoothly-
functioning pattern of production.
Up until we reach the shooting stage,
every phase of production is in idea
form, either precisely detailed on paper,
or firmly conceived in the minds of the
technicians. It is on the set, however,
that these various ideas are blended
and translated into action. It is on the
set that static words on a script come
alive and actors begin to move and
breathe as characters in a screen story.
There is no one right way to make a
film. The procedure varies with indi¬
vidual directors, as well as with different
subjects and types of production. There¬
fore, the following plan of set procedure
is presented, not as the way to make a
picture, but as one way of filming that
has proven successful and practical in
most types of picture-making. It is sug¬
gested that you take these Basic and
necessary general methods of operation
and adapt them to your specific type of
filming.
In outlining the following methods of
set x'outine, we shall suppose that you
are shooting a more less pretentious
type of semi-professional film (as dis¬
tinguished from “home movies”), and
that it entails both interior and exterior
sequences. We shall further assume that
you have available sufficient personnel
to specialize the various jobs that have
to be done.
Before the Cameras Roll
It is the first day of shooting, and ac¬
cording to the detailed shooting sched¬
ule, interior scenes are to be filmed to¬
day. The cameraman and his assistants
are the first to arrive on the set. While
the cast is climbing into costumes and
make-up, the camera crew is busy set¬
ting up equipment and placing lights.
The preliminary placement of lights and
camera follows the diagram as sketched
in the “dope sheet” for that scene
(which we discussed fully under Pro¬
duction Planning). The lighting is
“roughed in” according to the sketch,
with the understanding that it will be
more precisely set later during action
rehearsals.
While this is going on, the prop man
is checking his list to see that every¬
thing required as an action prop or set
dressing is available. He will want to
avoid having to interrupt shooting be¬
cause some prop turns up missing just
as the cameras are ready to roll.
Meanwhile, the sound crew will be
checking their equipment to insure its
proper functioning. They may also ten¬
tatively place their microphones and
sound booms to get them into their
general locations before the action re¬
hearsals begin.
At about this point, you, the director,
arrive on the scene. If the cameraman,
for instance, has set his camera in a
bit too close, or if he has misunder¬
stood the key of the lighting chart, you
proceed to set him straight on it. If the
prop man can’t find one of the required
Siamese elephants, you discuss possible
substitutes with him, etc.
Then, you and your assistant sit down
together in a corner of the stage and
proceed to review the requirements of
the day’s shooting. You discuss the notes
you have previously made on the sched¬
uled scenes. You thrash out any last
minute inspirations that might have de¬
veloped. If there is any doubt as to the
effectiveness of a planned technique, you
devise an alternate that might be tried
in case difficulties develop.
Your assistant may have a few ques¬
tions as to the pace or movement of the
background action, which it will be his
job to direct. These and other questions
you can answer for him at this time.
“Walk-through” Rehearsals
Now your actors have arrived on the
set, all made-up and costumed. You
check their appearance carefully to see
that everything is as required in the
script. If any of them have any doubts
or questions about the scene to be filmed,
you can clarify the uncertainty then and
there.
The actors make a last minute check
of their lines and action (which they
are supposed to have memorized during
the pre-shooting rehearsals), and you
are now ready to conduct a “walk
through” rehearsal of the scene. This
consists of running thi-ough the dia¬
logue coupled with the actions, in order
to synchronize the two, and indicate in
which areas of the set each bit of busi¬
ness is to be played. The actors recite
their lines, but make no attempt at
this point to interpret them dramatical¬
ly, nor do they elaborate on the basic
action of the scene.
Meanwhile, the technicians take ad¬
vantage of this rehearsal to polish their
arrangements. Perhaps the cameraman
will find that he has neglected to light
the coiner where the hero’s most sig¬
nificant action takes place. The sound
man may well find that his microphone
cannot follow the leading man un¬
less the pace of his movements is slowed
down a bit, etc.
When the walk-through rehearsal has
been polished to everyone’s satisfaction,
a short time-break is called. This is an
important interval. The cameraman may
ask the leading lady to pose in place
while a certain light is adjusted. (In
the professional studios, standins are
used for this. But your actors will prob¬
ably have to do their own ix>asting un¬
der the lights.) As soon as the lighting
is okayed, the still cameraman steps in
and takes record shots of the set and
the actors as they appear in the se¬
quence, so that their appeax-ance can be
precisely duplicated fi-om day to day
during shooting.
The camera crew will be making a
final check of its equipment. The sound
crew will have set its instruments for
the proper voice level. Someone will
stand ready with a make-up kit plus a
needle and thi-ead to make last minute
repairs in make-up or costuming. The
script clerk will be ready to take sec¬
retarial notes on all the details of shoot¬
ing plus any last minute changes that
are made during filming.
Preparation for the “Take”
You now take your cast aside, sit
them down in a quiet corner, and pi’o-
ceed to give them a final “pep-talk.”
You explain the mood and pace of the
scene. You briefly sketch for each actor
the point-of-view of the character he is
playing at this particular stage of the
narrative. You talk quietly, but with
imagery, getting your playei’s into the
mood.
Everything is now ready for the final
rehearsal. This 'time your actors go
through the dialogue and action, giving
their full interpretation of the scene as
it is to look on the screen. They include
all of the little nuances of expression,
the pauses, the emotion — everything to
give the scene body and depth. You
quietly make corrections if there is
something that is not quite right. Avoid
(Continued on Page 423)
*
404 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
THE FILM INDUSTRY’S
S'
HOUSTON Model 10
35mm negative and posi¬
tive film processed up to
2400 feet per hour. Prompt
delivery on standard models.
Always dependable "high quality” film
processing in a laboratory equipped with
HOUSTON PROCESSING MACHINES
Positive film tension control by adjustable friction
clutch drive.
Thermostatic Temperature Control of solution by
refrigeration and heating.
Continuous replenishment of developer from built-
in storage tanks.
Fully automatic. Completely self-contained. Stain¬
less steel construction.
Standard equipment may be adapted to
meet your special processing requirement
Houston
LARGEST PRODUCERS OF
RINTERS, CAMERA DOLLIES AND CRANES
HOUSTON PORTABLE
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Daylight processing of
16mm positive, negative
or reversal film up to 25
feet per minute. Available
for immediate delivery.
Write for descriptive folder
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 West Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles 25, Calif.
One of the many typical sets constructed for "Treasure Island.
Producer-director William Gernert puts finishing touches on model sea for
long shots.
Nashville's Youthful
Film Enterprise
y ROE FLEET
WILLIAM GERNERT is founder,
director and art director — also
president— of W. G. Pictures Stu¬
dios located on Caldwell Lane, Nashville,
Tenn. The latter, only motion picture
company in Nashville, is composed en¬
tirely of boys in their ’teens; but their
enthusiasm and three years’ progress
since launching the enterprise, is par¬
ticularly noteworthy for passing along
to other amateur cinematographic en¬
thusiasts.
Seventeen-year-old William Gernert’s
initials grace the impressive title of the
company. Young Gernert has unusual
talent for creating ideas, and an artistic
touch for realism. Make the film look
real or abstract and in perspective is
William’s basic idea. Sixteen-year-old
Craig Faulkner photographs the minia¬
ture productions, is chief cameraman,
and responsible for special color and
lighting effects. Assistant photographer
and art director is John Payne, whose
head is always whirling with new ideas,
tricks, and photographic effects for the
productions of the company.
Currently deep in the actual produc¬
tion and shooting of Robert Louis Ste¬
venson’s “Treasure Island,” the W. G.
group works out its own sets, creates
puppet characters, and films the pictures
either in black-and-white or color
(16mm.)- — all in their combination stu¬
dio, production office, and projection
room in the large basement of the presi¬
dent’s home. The studio embraces half
a dozen stages — naturally small for the
production of puppet films, an office, film
room, and quarters for sketching, cos¬
tuming and designing of props. “Treas¬
ure Island” is being photographed in
black-and-white, and is slated to run
about 750 feet. The sound system is sup¬
plied by means of recordings which are
purchased before the individual film sub¬
jects are created. Thus action and dia¬
logue is built around the music mood of
stories suggested by the records; and
all takes are properly synchronous for
action to be in time with the film.
Among the many techniques used are
fades, lap dissolves, boom and dolly
shots, etc.; pictures are produced with a
professional touch throughout. W. G.
members are very particular about back
and side lighting. Although an Eastman
Kodak camera is currently being used,
the hope is for eventual acquisition of a
new Mitchell 16mm. professional model,
so the youthful producers can “let go”
and put all of their ideas onto the films
they plan for the future.
Working mostly on Saturdays, the
young movie magnates are now on their
fifth production, the first having been
“Pinocchio.” Second venture was “Lady
in the Dark,” which was done merely for
practice, and because the trio were all so
enthusiastic over the original film pro¬
duction. This film is only shown for per¬
sonal pleasure. Third film was “A
Christmas Carol,” and the fourth ven¬
tured into color with “Alice in Wonder¬
land.”
A picture is initially created through
the selection and purchase of records
which are chosen for story idea pre¬
sented, and the sound effects or music
background. From the records, the script
is prepared. Then a meeting is held for
playing the records over and over for
ideas and suggestions on the final script.
Sketches are then drawn of each scene
and assembled on a large bulletin board
for general discussion and final approval.
William then asks for opinions on the
possibilities of shooting the subject, and
if it would be the type carrying audience
406
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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appeal. Research is presented on story
period and costumes, after which the
most important report of the treasury is
presented to determine whether the
budget can manage the cost of each in¬
dividual scene and sequence, and the
overall production.
From the original sketches, full color
drawings of the costumes are created,
and usually a good consultant on cos¬
tuming is called in for suggestions and
criticism. Next conference discusses the
matter of photographing in color or
black-and-white. If the costumes are too
dark for dark backgrounds in black-and-
white, adjustments must be made. Aim
is to create well-balanced scenes. If a
background is light, the character under
consideration must be darker. Con¬
versely, dark backgrounds necessitate
lighter characters.
The photographer and assistant work
on good compositions and different an¬
gles that will carry more visual appeal
and create the feeling of third dimen¬
sional effect. The director and photogra¬
pher confer on times for camera move¬
ment, and huddle on fades, lap dissolves,
etc. and rightful places of each in the
picture. Such meetings may continue for
hours, and often problems are “slept on”
before decision of the group is arrived
at. Rehearsals are then staged for proper
timing of the marionettes’ actions with
mechanical action on the set itself.
Lighting is also checked at this time for
utmost effectiveness.
On the set of the chubby and large
18th century British vessel about nine
feet long (in scale with size of the small
marionettes) created for “Treasure Is¬
land,” the problem was presented of
lighting the tiny lanterns at the stern of
the ship. Solution came, however, with
insertion of Christmas tree lights in the
balsa and cellophane lanterns. Then, the
moon in the background for night scenes
presented another lighting problem, but,
a circle was cut out of the background
and a piece of gauze was placed on the
reverse side with a light behind to throw
an even glare over the moonlight scene
desired.
If closeups are desired, producer Wil¬
liam makes two characters of the same
figure — one character for distant shots
and the other twice as large for closeups.
The larger figure allows for addition of
more detail such as eyelashes, lips that
look moist, and hair with every curl in
place. It might be pointed out that the
characters move their mouths by means
of manipulated strings.
Sets are really one of the highlights
of the youthful film producers. Scripts
have been used calling for sets any¬
where from a theatre to a large 18th cen¬
tury sailing vessel. In “Alice in Won¬
derland,” there was a courtroom set
which took more than a month to con¬
struct with a golden ceiling chandelier
of 50 small candles (chandelier was con¬
structed from an old candelabrum and
matching sidewall brackets.) The court¬
room was adorned in pale rich sky blue
with gleaming white columns and wood¬
work, and old gold fixtures. Floor pat¬
tern was large red and white checks that
had a smooth mirror-like surface; throne
was elevated somewhat with circular
steps and trial boxes with large hearts
on the front, while a large window from
floor to ceiling was behind the throne.
Outside the gaping window was a mist
of clouds which provided a spell of mys¬
tery.
“Treasure Island” is expected to be
the most ambitious black-and-white film
yet produced by the W. G. trio, with im¬
proved dramatic lighting and other tech¬
niques. Work has already been started
on rough ideas on character creations
and set suggestions for “Cinderella,”
their next production which is to be in
color. It will be a super, with the budget
expanded considerably for creation of the
best in lighting, costuming and massive
sets. Some of the latter already roughly
planned are a huge ballroom, a wedding
scene, and the interior of a stage coach.
In “Alice in Wonderland,” the trick of
reversing the camera upside down was
employed to shoot a scene of chartreuse
mist of clouds in which a deck of cards
were to rise up in the air and come fly¬
ing down on Alice. The scene was pho¬
tographed upside down, and later turned
around and spliced in with the other
shots originally made normally. This
gave the desired effect of the cards fly¬
ing up. The “falling machine,” a back¬
ground painted scroll that was rolled be¬
hind Alice, was successfully devised and
employed to picture her falling through
space.
Members of the company are most se¬
rious about their work, and never cease
to expand production quarters and add
to equipment. The office is a maze of
neatly-typed scripts, set drawings, char¬
acter sketches, half finished properties,
and shelves of technical books and pam¬
phlets. The W. G. sign is evident on al¬
most everything — from the cameras and
the door of the special projection room,
to the smallest piece of equipment.
After the current “Treasure Island” is
completed, production will start wheel¬
ing on “Cinderella.” “The Selfish Giant”
and a few original scripts are also ten¬
tative for future production activities.
It might be pointed out that the pro¬
duction accomplishment of the W. G.
group is noteworthy. A local playhouse
booked one of the pictures for a five-day
showing with marked success, and there
have been a number of invitations for
out-of-town showings.
And what of the future? Ambitions
of the company members are pointed
towards Hollywood and honest-to-good-
ness jobs in the film industry as direc¬
tor-producer, cameraman, art and set di¬
rector. In fact major league status for
the chores each is now holding in the
miniature movie firm of W. G. Produc¬
tions in Nashville, Tenn.
408
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Write for literature describing the Bardwell & McAlister line of
Photographic Lighting Equipment. There is a light for every pos¬
sible need. Ask about the Senior 5000-watt Spot, the Junior
1000-2000-watt Spot, the Baby Keg-Lite 500-750-watt Spot,
the Single and Double Broads, the Foco-Spot, Snoots, Barndoors
Something has been added ... at the re¬
quest of Hollywood Camera Men... to the Bardwell
& McAlister line of Photographic Lighting Equipment
...It’s the Dinky Boom!
On motion picture sets, among the home-movie
fans, and everywhere that fine photography is produced,
the Dinky Inkie, that handy little 150 Watt Spot, has been
standard equipment. Now its use has been made much more
flexible by the Dinky Boom which makes an infinite num¬
ber of lighting arrangements and angles easy to obtain. The
Dinky Boom comes equipped with a standard Dinky Inkie
Spotlite.
With the Dinky Inkie you can highlight portrait sub¬
jects by concentrating a smooth, graduated light exactly
where it belongs. You can get the greatest degree of flexi¬
bility in modeling close-ups. You can eliminate shadows in
dark corners and virtually "paint” with light that is under
control at all times.
For fine photography there is nothing better than
Bardwell & McAlister Lighting Equip¬
ment. For good work, the Dinky Inkie
the Dinky Booms are "musts”.
This wonderful little spot operates with 150
watt T-8-DC globe; focuses from an 8 degree
spot to a 44 degree flood. It has the same back
and front handy focusing lever as the Baby
Keg-Lites. With base removed, it fits any stand¬
ard tripod. Total weight 2% pounds.
THE BOOM
and
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up to 45° angle from vortical.
2 Boom has telescoping
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3 Thrust bearing with fibre
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4 B & M folding-leg-type
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5 Nine foot six inch exten¬
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6 Weight 17 pounds.
The DINKY BOO
For Properly Lighting Motion Pictures,
Home Movies, Portraits and
Table-Top Photography
and other light control accessories. Address Department
BARDWELL & McALISTER, Inc.
3 Designers and Manufacturers
Box 1310 • Hollywood 28 • California
AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Brooklyn Amateur Cine
Charles Coles delivered a talk on
“Exposures and Exposure Meters” at
the October 16th meeting of Brooklyn
Amateur Cine Club, held at 1218 Union
Street. Coles also showed two of his
films, “Jasper Road” and “Outposts of
the West.” Other picture on the pro¬
gram was C. M. Booth’s “Campers Para¬
dise.”
Brooklyn is lining up a Quiz program
for a future meeting which could easily
be adopted by other clubs for added in¬
terest and information of members.
Brooklyn is soliciting questions from
members on movie problems, and when
sufficient number are received program
will be staged at a meeting. Club roster
will be divided in half, with the experts
on one side being tossed the questions
from the other group. Then the situa¬
tion will be reversed, with the former
questioners becoming the experts and
question answerers. It looks like a swell
idea that should click solidly as a new
feature of club meetings.
Members of Brooklyn Amateur Cine
walked off with the bulk of prizes at
the recent Mineola Fair. Six BAC mem¬
bers entered 10 films in the Fair con¬
test, and each film won an award. Re¬
cipients were, Sam Fass, Francis Sin-
claire, Herbert Erles, Horace Guthman,
Charles Ross, and Charles Btenjamin.
Latter won three prizes, while Erles
and Guthman tabbed two each.
St. Louis Amateur
President Leslie Easterday chair¬
maned the October 11th meeting of
Amateur Motion Picture Club of St.
Louis, held at the Roosevelt hotel. Film
program comprised: “New Orleans,”
8mm. kodachrome by Irma Kaiser; “A
Camera Widow’s Revenge,” 8mm. mon¬
ochrome which is the latest production
of Overland Movie Club of Overland,
Mo.; and “Nantucket,” 16mm. koda¬
chrome by Russell Pansie, loaned by
ACL film library.
Added attraction was educational ses¬
sion on titling, with Werner Henze, S.
James Bialson, and C. E. Talbot speak¬
ing on various phases and methods of
title making. Each illustrated with film
clips.
San Francisco Cinema
An all-club program of films high¬
lighted the October 15th meeting of
Cinema Club of San Francisco, held at
the Women’s City Club. Eric Unmack
started proceedings with a talk on light¬
ing, stressing artificial lighting for in¬
teriors and demonstrating with his own
equipment. Films included: “Magic
Mush,” (8mm. kodachrome), by Un¬
mack; “Shriner’s Parade” by new mem¬
ber Gabriel M. Tabet; and “Everchang-
ing California,” a 1,000 foot 16 mm.
kodachrome subject by Leon Gagne.
Metropolitan Club
Regular meeting of Metropolitan Mo¬
tion Picture Club of New York City was
held on October 17th at Hotel Pennsyl¬
vania. Film program of the evening in¬
cluded: “Alpine Vixen,” by Anchor 0.
Jensen, judged one of the 10 best of
1945; “Backyard Zoo,” by Francis M.
Spoonogle, a 1945 Honorable mention;
“Worth Scouting For,” by A1 Morton, a
1945 Ten Best; “The Heavens Declare
the Glory of God,” by S. G. Lutz, a
1944 Ten Best; “Mr. X,” by Norman
Brown; and “Handling Casks With the
Ford Truck.”
Supplemental meeting on October 2nd
presented George H. Espy of Weston
Electric Co. who explained the proper
use of the Weston meter for best re¬
sults in both black-and-white and color.
Espy illustrated his paper with stills
in both black-and-white and color.
Philadelphia Cinema
Philadelphia Cinema Club staged a
triple-feature program for its meeting
of October 8th, held at Franklin Insti¬
tute. Gadget Night presented an inter¬
esting and informative exhibition-dem¬
onstration of movie making gadgets de¬
vised by members. Second attraction was
a talk on timely suggestions about
movie making, together with simple
tricks that any enthusiast can adapt.
Climax was films made by Fred A. Mur¬
ray while in the armed services abroad.
Murray’s subject by-passed battle ac¬
tion entirely, and concentrated on the
countryside of North Africa, Normandy,
and England.
Seattle Movie Club
“Redouble Trouble,” produced as a
club activity by Amateur Movie So¬
ciety of Milwaukee, was presented at
the October 8th meeting of Seattle
Amateur Movie Club, held in Parish
Hall of Church of the Epiphany. In¬
teresting experiment was conducted,
with showings of member films and audi¬
ence noting questions on editing, titling,
exposure, etc.; questionnaires were grad¬
ed later, which provided average audi¬
ence grade for each individual film rat¬
ing. Other subjects on the program was
report on Cine Workshop meeting, and
discussion of doctoring vacation foot¬
age.
Utah Cine Arts
Home movie night featured the Oc¬
tober 16th meeting of Utah Cine Arts
Club held at Teamster’s Hall, with
members running off 50 foot 8mm. and
100 foot 16mm. rolls of unfinished and
untitled subjects for runoffs. “All
Around the Town,” by Lon Wadman of
St. Louis Movie Club, was the film fea¬
ture of the evening.
Milwaukee Amateur
Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee
is one of those progressive clubs with
such intense member interest that two
meetings a month are held at the Red
Arrow Club. Delegation from the Metro
Movie Club of River Park, Ill., drove
over to present two kodachrome sub¬
jects — “Reverie” and “Invisible Builder”
for the October 9th meeting. Fred W.
Kennert presented his 8mm. color sub¬
ject, “Beautiful Colorado” at the Oc¬
tober 23rd meeting.
Civic movie projects of club members
are highlights in the AMS widespread
activities. Mrs. Mortag made a picture
“Girl Scouts at Day Camp” during the
summer for the Girl Scout office of Mil¬
waukee County; and followed this up
with film record of the Civil Air Patrol
of which her son is a member. Mrs. Ger¬
trude Militzer and Miss Artha Rosche
recently presented the film of the con¬
struction progress of the Junior Club
of Milwaukee which was photographed
by Norville Schield and other members
of AMS.
Los Angeles Cinema
Member P. L. (Jack) Goddard thrilled
members of Los Angeles Cinema Club
at the October 7th meeting held in Fine
Arts Hall of Ebell Club, with his 16mm.
travelogue, “Off The Beaten Track in
Central Americas.” Goddard, a recent
president of the Adventurers Club of
Los Angeles, went into untravelled jun¬
gles and mountains of Nicaragua, Guate¬
mala and Mexico, with his son Jack to
secure the sensational film. Added at¬
traction at the session was a series of
35mm. kodachrome slides of “Zion,
Bryce and Grand Canyon National
Parks” presented by Aldis D. Waltz.
According to club announcement, en¬
tries for the annual contest close No¬
vember 15th.
San Francisco Westwood
Executive Committee of Westwood
Movie Club of San Francisco sponsored
the surprise program for the Septem¬
ber 27th meeting held in St. Francis
Community Hall, with secretary Leo M.
Kerkhof functioning as chairman.
Annual contest night will be held on
November 29th, with prizes up for en¬
tries in both the 8 and 16mm. divisions.
Westwood’s School of movie instruction,
which was instituted as supplemental
meetings several months ago, had
caught on with the general member¬
ship, and provides informative hints for
movie making.
New York Eight
October 21st meeting of New York
Eight MM. Motion picture Club was held
in Hotel Pennsylvania, with F. B. Emb-
shoff’s “The Seasons,” featured film of
the evening. In addition, several sub¬
jects of members were also shown.
410 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
That’s why the Eastman High-Speed Cam¬
era will prove of interest to many movie
makers — of great value to some
Movie makers doing advanced or specialized
work — engineers, and others engaged in techni¬
cal research — today have a direct approach to
problems involving motion too fast for the hu¬
man eye to register . . . thanks to the Eastman
High-Speed Camera, Type III.
With it, they can take motion pictures at
speeds adjustable from 1000 to 3000 frames a
second . . . project them at 16 frames a second
High-Speed Movies
. . . another important function of photography
. . . magnify “action time” nearly 200-fold . . .
see a whirl of blurred action as slow, clear,
leisurely, continuous motion.
In the field of engineering, for example, you
can see, study, and analyze vibration and chat¬
ter in machine elements . . . movements of
fluids . . . flame phenomena . . . and many other
types of motion that the eye cannot follow.
Although engineering is the field in which the
camera has found its widest application so far,
its use could readily be extended to others.
Consider its possibilities in your own work.
Perhaps many of the facts in a new, free book¬
let about the Eastman High-Speed Camera,
Type III, will help you estimate these possibili¬
ties accurately. Address Eastman Kodak Com¬
pany, Rochester 4, N. Y.
Personalized Greeting Trailers for
the Holidays
It's no trick at all to letter your own Christmas
message over a favorite snapshot, using white ink,
then photographing in your regular title-making
equipment.
The easiest type of greeting trailer to make. Merely
photograph, on-the-spot, an attractive, outdoor
Christmas display, preferably after dark.
Another simple variety. Slip a conventional Christ¬
mas card into your titler, and expose in the normal
manner.
More appealing. A snapshot of a familiar neighbor¬
hood street scene, lettered in white ink with the
greeting, slipped in the titler, and filmed in the
usual way.
Scrolls. Elaborate scrolls, in which a lengthy greeting
moves continually upward as it is being read, while
the background remains fixed, or in action, as the
case may be, are possible by lettering the greeting
on celluloid or paper strips.
by JAMES R. OSWALD
THIS year, more than ever before,
the Christmas holidays are sched¬
uled to hit a new high in the movie
maker's calendar. With adequate film
supplies again available to fulfill the cine
fan’s long-felt want, there is a great
deal of lost time to be mhde up for, and
the Yuletide season is the time to do it!
You will surely want to record, for
instance, and in color, Junior’s first
glimpse of that shiny new, long-awaited
streamlined electric train as he dashes
over to the Christmas tree, and daugh¬
ter’s eager eyes as she first catches sight
of her new bicycle, glistening under the
tree lights . . . just the kind she has al¬
ways wanted! Then there is Baby’s over¬
all bewilderment about the whole affair
on this, a first Christmas. Oldsters, too,
take part in the fun, and family re¬
unions, merriment, and delicious delica¬
cies for pampered appetites are the order
of the day. Movie making opportunities
galore present themselves from all sides
throughout this festive period, and the
serious cinematographer is ever on the
alert for prize-winning catch-as-catch
can shots, as well as routine document¬
ary scenes which will become a part of
the general movie record of the occasion,
to be projected and relived a year hence,
undoubtedly with the participants form¬
ing the audience at that time.
But speaking of projection, what about
this year’s show? Maybe a well informed
and gracious Santa Claus will see fit to
fill your Christmas stocking, figuratively
speaking, with a new projector, but new
projector or old, the show must go on,
for surely you, as an ardent cine fan,
In making a scroll, the wording is traced on a cellu¬
loid strip, from a pattern placed in the title OVER
the chosen background scene, in such a way that the
scroll may be drawn steadily upward, while the back¬
ground remains fixed. For backgrounds in motion,
the scroll may be lettered on black paper, and
double-exposed in the customary fashion over the sep¬
arate background scene.
412 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
cannot afford to disappoint your holiday
guests by depriving them of a little
movie entertainment on this joyous oc¬
casion. Even if you haven’t taken any
new pictures recently, there are always
the old ones of a few years back which
can be supplemented with some of the
professionallly made shorts.
Regardless, though, of how your film
program shapes up, a good showman al¬
ways has the welfare of his audience at
heart, and every now and then takes time
out to prove it by expressing his senti¬
ments via the movie screen. Conveying
Christmas messages in this unique, novel
manner will not only promote a spirit of
good will among your guests, but will
add considerably to your reputation as
a movie maker, as well.
The easiest type of greeting trailer to
make is merely to photograph, on-the-
spot, an attractive, outdoor Christmas
display, preferably after dark. Another
simple way to an attractive sentiment
is to slip a conventional greeting card
into your titler, and expose in the normal
manner. But it’s no trick at all to letter
your own Christmas message in white
ink over a favorite snapshot, then photo¬
graphing as above. For trailers with an
action background, superimpose the
wording over an actual motion picture
scene, first filming the action, then back-
winding the film, double-exposing the
title card, white lettering on black back¬
ground. A “homey,” indoor setting, in
keeping with the season, is probably best
for this type of trailer. Elaborate scrolls,
in which a lengthy greeting moves con¬
tinually upward as it is being read, while
the background remains fixed, or in ac¬
tion, as the case may be, are possible by
lettering the greeting on celluloid or
paper strips. In making a scroll, the
wording is traced on a celluloid strip,
from a pattern placed underneath, after
which it is arranged in the titler over
the chosen background scene, in such a
way that the scroll may be drawn steadi¬
ly upward, while the background remains
fixed. For backgrounds in motion, the
scroll may be lettered on black paper,
and double-exposed in the customary
fashion over the separate background
scene.
Personalized greeting trailers are not
only fun to make, but fascinating to
watch. Moreover, they may be as plain or
elaborate as your artistic and technical
ability allow. But always, these trailers
convey your warmest Christmas senti¬
ments. Why not surprise your audience,
and include one in your holiday program
this year?
Sackett Heads Defender Plant
Frederick B. Sackett has been ap¬
pointed manager of the Defender plant
of DuPont Photo Products Department
in Rochester, succeeding L. Dudley
Field who will become the department’s
advisor on paper products. Sackett was
transferred from the DuPont Parlin
plant, where he was assistant manager
for the past year.
New Ampro 8mm. Projector
A new 8mm. projector for home
movies, claimed to achieve a new stand¬
ard of quality and ease of operation for
8mm. projectors, is offered by Ampro
Corporation of Chicago, a General Pre¬
cision Equipment Corporation subsid¬
iary.
Features include 500-watt illumina¬
tion, still picture and reverse operation,
and flickerless pictures at slow speed.
Other highlights of this Ampro model
A-8 projector are: 1" F 1.6 coated ob¬
jective lens, one hand precision tilting
control, automatic safety shutter, rheo¬
stat control for varying film speeds, full
400 foot reel capacity if desired, efficient
cooling for forward or reverse projec¬
tion, automatic reel locking device. The
projector operates on both AC or DC
105-125 volts, and comes complete with
lens, lamp, carrying case and acces¬
sories.
La Casa, Alhambra
October 21st meeting of La Casa
Movie Club of Alhambra instituted
showings of series of vacation pictures
made by club members. Films presented
included: “Summer Wanderings,” by
Charles Manahan; and “Mexico” and
“Appleblossom Time,” by R. A. Bat¬
tles.
. . . for your specialized
requirement
Baltar is the Bausch & Lomh
answer to the demand lor a lens
series of superlative perform¬
ance — both for color and black-
and-white — to the exacting and
specialized needs of the most
advanced 35mm motion picture
photography. Balcote anti-reflec¬
tion coated. Bausch & Lomb
Optical Co., 598 Smith St., Ro¬
chester 2, N. Y.
Baltars are available through manufac¬
turers of professional camera equipment.
BAUSCH (y LOMB
American Cinematographer • November, 1946 413
frequency (or camera speed) in multi¬
ples of a thousand frames per minute.
Thus the individual pictures, or frames,
are readily translated into terms of the
“therblig” (.001 minute), the standard
unit of measurement in job study work.
A transformer, which is standard
equipment, permits plugging the Electro
into any regular house line. Or, storage
batteries can be employed when a job
study must be filmed in a location
where the unusual sources of current
are lacking, thus making the Electro
completely portable. The low-voltage
electrical drive is equipped with an au¬
tomatic governor mechanism which, Bell
& Howell engineers state, will maintain
accurately the all-important motor speed
despite all except the most severe fluc¬
tuations in line current.
By no means confined to use as an in¬
dustrial engineering instrument, the
Electro can be employed for general
types of cinematography as well, wher¬
ever electric power is available, either
from standard lines or a portable bat¬
tery. Company recreational and promo¬
tional events, amateur and professional
football and baseball games, and race¬
track finishes represents only a few of
the many applications. For conventional
use, the Electro is available with speed
control calibrated in frames per second;
or the motion-study speeds are readily
translated into frames per second by
means of a simple conversion table.
Companion-pieces for the Electro are
offered by Bell & Howell in the form of
a specially-designed 16mm projector and
a film viewer. The projector is equipped
with hand-crank (for screening one
frame of film at a time) ; a special heat
filter, which permits any single frame
to be projected as a “still” with even
more brilliance than is afforded when
the projector is running; and a direct-
reading, geared frame counter which
can be reset for “clocking” any portion
of a job-study film.
RCA Appoints Two
Robert H. Hunt, has been appointed
regional sales manager for RCA 16mm.
equipment in the Chicago area, and El¬
mer H. Beneke to a similar position in
the Atlanta region.
Hunt will represent RCA in the
twelve mid-western states, replacing
H. E. Erickson, who has been promoted
to Assistant Manager of the Education
and Sales Department at the Camden
office. Beneke is replacing M. N. Heiden-
reich, who has been transferred to the
Dallas regional office in the same ca¬
pacity.
Howard Telefilm Sales Head
George A. J. Howard, Jr., has joined
Telefilm Studios as national sales man¬
ager, and goes East to supervise indus¬
trial film sales and close contracts with
race tracks for Telefilm control horse
race system. Howard resigned execu¬
tive post with Pacific Air Lines to take
the new post.
Filmo Electro Camera for Time and Motion Study
To alleviate the pent-up demand for
modern industrial engineering equip¬
ment, Bell & Howell Company announces
the new Filmo “Electro” magazine¬
loading, electrically-driven, 16mm mo¬
tion picture camera, according to J. H.
McNabb, B & H president. Designed es¬
pecially for accurate time and motion
study work, the camera is equipped with
a fast 21mm F 1.9 lens (with positive
viewfinder and matching objective),
which affords a somewhat wider angle
of view than the standard 1" lens. Other
features are a dial footage indicator,
accurate operating speeds of 1,000, 2,000,
and 4,000 frames per minute, and a
built-in 24-volt motor which assures
constant filming speed at all times.
Developed by Bell & Howell in co-op¬
eration with Albert Ramond & Associ¬
ates, industrial engineers with head¬
quarters in Chicago, the new instru¬
ment embodies features demanded by
industry in replies to a questionnaire cir¬
culated last year by the Ramond or¬
ganization.
Simplicity and efficiency of operation
render the Electro especially well-suited
to accurate job study, it is claimed. The
magazine-loading feature facilitates film
change, and enables the operator to
keep individual case records separate at
all times. And with the magazine and
the motor functioning as a team, 50 feet
of film can be run off without interrup¬
tion.
Of particular interest to industrial
engineers is the calibration of picture
Director of Photography Stanley Cortez, A.S.C. has a specially designed light boom constructed for use
in a difficult sequence for "Smash-Up," Walter Wanger production for Universal-International. Cortez
is shown getting the proper lighting for a shot of Susan Hayward on the cot. Inkie spotlight is shown
at top center of the picture on the end of Ihe light boom. Via cables operated at the rear of boom,
inkie can be swung in a 340 degree circle for difficult shots as shown.
414
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Will you shoot the turkey?
CONSIDERING some indoor shoot¬
ing of the family turkey dinner
this holiday season?
Then be sure your movie camera is
loaded with Ansco Triple S Pan Film.
It’s fast!
It captures deep-down shadow detail at
practical lighting levels. It helps you
get scenes of “professional” brilliance.
Triple S Pan’s great speed lets you stop
down when great depth of field is needed.
You’ll keep the entire scene in sharp
focus — very important when the en¬
larged images are viewed on the screen.
And Ansco Triple S Pan Film has a
long scale of gradation . . . from twin¬
kling highlights ... to soft shadows.
Try it. You’ll see a noticeable improve¬
ment in your pictures. Ansco, Bing¬
hamton, New York. A Division of
General Aniline & Film Corporation.
General Sales Offices, 11 West 42nd
Street, New York 18, New York. -
- ASK FOR -
Ansco
8 and 1 6mm
TRIPLE S PAN FILM
S.M.P.E. Convention
(Continued from Page 396)
the SMPE for presentation to the indi¬
vidual or film company for the most out¬
standing contribution to the advancement
of the technical or engineering art of
motion pictures. It was»also voted that
the Society establish student chapters in
universities and colleges where there is
sufficient interest for such organizations.
Price Welcomes SMPE
Byron Price, board chairman of the
Association of Motion Picture Producers,
was guest speaker of the opening lunch¬
eon which launched the convention. After
recalling the early novelty of films, he
stated, “If sound and color and other
mechanical improvements had never
been attained, the motion picture never
would have survived except as a small
sideshow of American life.
“Nor could the motion picture of the
present day, with all its miraculous
qualities, expect to survive if research
simply stands on its hands, surrendering
to smugness and dreaming that perfec¬
tion had been attained. The effective
capture of the third dimension alone pro¬
vides a goal worthy of the endeavor of
the best minds among you.”
Mr. Price also disclosed that the major
film companies already had preparations
underway for a long-range and expanded
research program, and general industry
support is already assured for the pro¬
ject.
Pertinent Papers
“Studio Production with Two-Color Bi-
Pack Motion Picture Film,” by John
Boyle, A.S.C., and Benjamin Berg of Hal
Roach Studios. The increased use of color
in motion pictures has brought about a
revival of the use of two color bi-pack
processes. Although it has definite limi¬
tations in color range in comparison
to the three color method, careful studies
and tests have enabled production of two
color feature productions to an accept¬
able degree. With proper handling, al¬
lowance for sufficient production time,
and close coordination between camera,
makeup, art and wardrobe departments,
the results secured on several features
at Hal Roach studios are very adequate.
The entire production program of the
Hal Roach Studios is in the two color
process. With the entire product of the
studio in color the technical departments
have had the advantage of planning for
the limitations of a two color system.
This has enabled the studio to obtain
the maximum possible from such a pro¬
cess.
A decided advantage for the Director
of Photography has been the use of hard
light and exterior type bi-pack film. This
has not previously been a general prac¬
tice with two color systems because of
budget limitations. The paper detailed
lighting techniques, makeup, set decora¬
tion, wardrobe, camera and other prac¬
tices as devised after production of the
Roach features made to date.
“Application of a New One Strip Color
Separation Film in Motion Picture Pro¬
duction,” by H. C. Harsh and J. S. Fried¬
man of Ansco, Binghamton, N. Y. Paper
described procedures to be used with the
new Ansco type 155 — which is designed
for making color separation negatives.
Equal gammas are obtained for the red,
green and blue filter exposures with the
same developing time, making it possible
to obtain the black-and-white separations
as successive frames on a single strip of
film and thus obviate much of the diffi¬
culty of registration. By varying the
developing time or developer formula, it
is possible to change the gamma over a
range of 0.5 to 3.0 to suite the purpose
for which the separations are intended,
while still maintaining equal graduations
for the different filter exposures.
“The Physical Properties and Prac¬
tical Application of the Zoomar Lens,”
by Frank G. Back of Research & De¬
velopment Laboratory, Newr York. The
Zoomar lens is a varifocal objective for
motion picture cameras which achieves
the change of focus by the linear move¬
ment of a single barrel (in which all the
movable elements of the system are
rigidly mounted.) The new feature of
this lens consists in the principle of
changing the focal length of the system
by one group of lens components without
consideration of the displacement of the
image plane, while a second lens com¬
ponent, rigidly coupled to the first one
by the common barrel, compensates for
this displacement.
In correcting this system for the op¬
tical aberration, it has been discovered
that the Deidel equations and the other
formulae of the third order theory com¬
monly used in preliminary lens design
broke down entirely and new ways of
corrections had to be devised.
The Zoomar lens not only makes it
possible for the cameraman to take zoom
shots on occasion where it was hereto¬
fore impossible due to the complicated
preparations necessary for such shots,
but it also opened the field for entirely
new effects which could not be previously
achieved.
Magnetic recording of sound came in
for several papers on various aspects and
developments of this medium, with indi¬
cations that eventually such sound re¬
cording will be perfected for use on mo¬
tion picture filnft, with chances that its
economy features will be of especial
interest to the amateur movie maker.
“Special Cameras and Flash Lamps for
High-Speed Underwater Photography,”
by Robert T. Knapp, California Institute
of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. The
equipment described was developed for
analyzing underwater motion of solid
bodies. These studies are being carried
out in a special tank, 30 feet long and
13 feet in diameter in the Hydrodynamics
laboratory at Caltech. It operates with
a water depth of about 10 feet. The
experimental needs demand a high rate
of picture taking, also that the object
studied should be in the field of at least
two cameras at all times. To meet speed
requirements, the equipment is developed
around Edgerton type flash lamps in¬
stead of a shutter mechanism. Special
magazines have been designed using an
endless film belt of sufficient length for
a one second exposure time. Underwater
coverage is obtained by a battery of five
cameras operated from a single drive
shaft. They are mounted with each lens
at the center of curvature of a spherical
window. A film speed of approximately
35 feet per second is used. A black back¬
ground in the tank permits overlapping
exposures. Illumination is furnished by
a battery of 30 synchronized flash lamps
operating at rates up to 3,000 per second.
16 mm. Subjects
At the special session on 16 mm., high¬
lights were paper and exhibit of the new
Mitchell 16 Professional camera (de-
(Continued on Page 422)
Byron Price, board chairman of Association of Motion Picture Producers, predicts vastly increased engi¬
neering research program for the film industry to assure continuance of motion picturese as a major
public entertainment medium. Left to right: Joyce Reynolds, Warner player, President Don Hyndman;
Price, and Nathan Golden.
416
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
JULES E. BRULATOUR, A. S.C.
T*HE motion picture industry lost one of its most enthusiastic and progressive leaders with the passing of Jules E. Bulatour at
Mt. Sinai hospital, New York, on October 26th, after an illness of several weeks.
Pioneer in the sale and distribution of photographic supplies and products, Brulatour early had the vision and foresight to
evaluate the tremendous potentialities of motion pictures as an entertainment medium for the world. And through the years,
he was always in the forefront in pressing for introduction of new practices, and the constant improvement in the quality of
motion picture productions.
As exclusive distributor of Eastman unexposed motion picture films since 1912, he has continually provided advice and
counsel to producers and distributors, and numerous instances of his extension of financial aid to companies to assist the latter
over tough hurdles, are well known within the trade.
His most friendly relationship with the motion picture cameramen from virtually the inception of the business, and his later
personal campaign to raise the status and importance of the photographer in the eyes of the producer, can never be forgotten.
Arriving in New York in 1898, Mr. Brulatour shortly thereafter became sales manager for Lumiere of Paris, which at that
time was manufacturing various photographic materials, including motion picture film. Even at that time, when moving pictures
were novelties exhibited in tent shows and nickleodeons, he had unbounding confidence that here was the future mass enter¬
tainment medium, and he soon became an expert of the industry. It was this unbounding confidence and intimate industry
knowledge that had the late George Eastman seek him out to take over American distribution of Eastman motion picture film; an
association which has existed for 35 years.
Mr. Brulatour was born in New Orleans and educated at Tulane University. In the early years of the film industry, he was
president of Motion Picture Sales Company, a group of independent producers- and shortly thereafter an organizer and first
president of Universal Film Company. When features were replacing the one and two reel shorts, he organized and built the
Paragon and Peerless studios at Fort Lee, and was an original organizer of the old World Film Company; in addition to several
laboratories. In later years, he was a member of the Paramount Pictures Corporation board of directors. He also was widely
connected in banking circles, and was closely interested in philanthropic activities, particularly those relating to the motion pic¬
ture industry. For efforts during World War I, he was awarded the Ribbon of the French Legion of Honor.
He is survived by his wife, Hope Hampton Brulatour, screen, stage and opera star; also three children by previous mar¬
riage, and nine grandchildren.
The American Society of Cinematographers sincerely regrets the passing of Jules E. Brulatour, one of the great men of
the motion picture industry, and for many years an Honorary Member of the A. S. C.
Aces of the Camera
(Continued from Page 395)
demic had launched Charlie Boyle on a
successful career.
His first impressions of the picture
business are, perhaps, best recorded in
a poem he wrote after several excur¬
sions patterned after the Lone Pine trip:
When I got out of the army
I looked for something to do;
I came to California
And joined a movie crew.
But the job is just like the army,
We don’t get very much dough,
But we see a lot of the country
And they feed us wherever we go.
One of his most interesting experi¬
ences, in a career comfortably larded
with interesting experiences, was the
year he spent in the Philippine Islands.
Hired as a cameraman by the Filipine
Film Productions, a pioneer company
in the islands, Charlie found himself,
through force of circumstances, a pro¬
ducer as well. He arrived to find plenty
of help, but no organization; willing
workers but completely ignorant of the
jobs they had to do. Co Charlie took one
boy and told him he was a ‘grip,’ and
he explained what a grip had to do. To
another he explained the duties of a
propman. And so on through the whole
complement of the production crafts.
The boys were very proud of the titles
he gave them, and for those whose jobs
had no title he had to invent one. Un¬
der these conditions he photographed,
and guided the destinies of nine pictures
during the year of his stay.
In order to give you an idea of what
the Philippines thought of Charlie, and
at the same time to convey some of the
idiomatic quaintness that creeps into
their expressions, we quote from an ar¬
ticle published in the Manila “Herald
Mid-Week Magazine” for August 21,
1935:
“Usually, it is about the stars that
we read. Seldom do we read about the
men behind the scenes, the tireless
workers who turn the magic of the
make-believe world into superb enter¬
tainment for us of the twentieth cen¬
tury. In Hollywood, as well as in the
Philippines, the men behind the scenes
are seldom brought to the limelight. And
yet, they perform as important a part,
if not a more important part, than the
stars in the making of pictures.
“Last week, during the preview of
‘Himala ni Bathala,” the newspapermen
were unanimous in remarking: what a
masterpiece of photography! Truly,
they said, Filipino pictures have arrived.
And they asked who the photographer
was. And the answer was: Charles P.
Boyle, A. S. C., studio manager of the
Filipine Films Productions, pioneer
makers of talking pictures in this coun¬
try.
“Boyle, or Charlie for short, arrived
here unheralded last May 7th. Of a
naturally quiet disposition, he never
bragged about himself. He moved about
unobtrusively, smiling only now and
then in answer to greeting from persons
who know him, and always tight as a
clam.
“But when people began talking about
the remarkable photography of ‘Himala
ni Bathala,’ Boyle, upon the insistence
of newspapermen, broke his silence. And
to us revealed something that even
dazzles us more than many stars of the
shadowworld.”
This laudatory account goes on and
on to fill almost an entire page of the
periodical, with pictures of Charlie
reading a script, and another with him
looking very authoritative next to a
camera. It praises him personally and
professionally, and by implication com¬
pares him to a composite of all the great
names in the Hollywoods. But it failed
to tell what it was that Charlie re¬
vealed when, ‘at the insistence of news¬
papermen’ he ‘broke his silence’ and
‘dazzled them even more than many
stars of the shadowworld.’ And Charlie
quite obviously took no offence at being
labeled ‘tight as a clam,’ because he has
preserved the article for posterity.
The Philippines take their movies,
and their movie industry, very seriously.
In their pictures they indulge them¬
selves to the full extent of the emotions
and go into tremendous and lengthy de¬
tail in the telling of their stories so
that the feature pictures run eleven
reels and more in length. The dialogue
is usually in the Tagalog dialect, and
the stories generally concern themselves
with events and themes that are most
suitably interpreted by Philippines and
which can best take advantage of the
native scenery.
One exception to this was the Filipine
Films production of “The Miracle Man.”
which Charlie photographed. And he
recalls that the Philippino actors, with
their predilection for the broader type
of emotional acting, had a field day with
this vehicle.
When the production was previewed in
Manila, Charlie noticed a large crowd
gathered; not at the theatre, but about
half a block away. And because the
crowd kept getting bigger and bigg^
until it swelled way over the sidewalk,
he felt he had to see what it was all
about. When he had elbowed his way to
a point of vantage he found the actor
who had played the part that I on
Chaney made famous in the American
production telling his eager and serious
listeners how he had done it. Then he
would illustrate a point by grimacing
and contorting himself until he out-
Chaneyed Chaney. Awed and spell¬
bound, the crowd urged the actor to re¬
tell the story; which he did. And as
those in the rear of the crowd surged
forward he was again requested to re¬
peat the performance. As Charlie
emerged from a throng of real film
fans he wondered if a similar idea
wouldn’t be a big attraction for Sid
Grauman.
It was on this trip to Manila that
Charlie met and married his wife. So
proud was she of her husband’s pro¬
fessional skill in the realm of color that
she could not be satisfied to chble her
family that she had married a camera¬
man, she had to tell them she had mar¬
ried a ‘color cameraman’; thereby caus¬
ing considerable consternation until the
folks had an opportunity to gaze on
Charlie’s purely Celtic physiognomy.
In 1937 Technicolor put Charlie un¬
der contract to train studio cameramen
in the use of Technicolor cameras and
film. He is still with that company and
on assignment to major producers has
contributed his talents to such out¬
standing pictures as “Jesse James,”
“Maryland,” “Kentucky,” “Buffalo Bill,”
“Northwest Passage,” “Billy the Kid,”
and “Canyon Passage.” In 1945, with
Robert Planck, A. S. C., he was nomi¬
nated for the color photography award
for “Anchors Aweigh.”
This year he has been assigned to
“Duel in the Sun,” and is currently
shooting tests for Selznick’s forthcom-
;ng production for Vanguard, “Little
Women.” ,
Some of the most beautiful color pho¬
tography that Charlie has ever turned
in however, is, oddly enough, to be seen
in a commercially sponsored picture en¬
titled “Men Make Steel.” This is a four
reel picture made in 1938 for the U. S.
Steel Corporation. Shot on Technicolor
3-strip, which was then only half as fast
as it is today, and with only 1.500 amps
to call upon to light his sometimes im¬
mense sets, Charlie achieved some of the
most awe-inspiring, thrilling beautiful
photography which has at the same time
captured and graphically reflected the
spirit and feeling of the subject. Here
is a picture that from a photographic
standpoint definitely deserves a place
in somebody’s archives. And it’s a won¬
derful illustration of what a good man
can do with a camera.
New B & M Accessories
With the development of fast photo¬
graphic films, the control of light has
become a real problem for the photo¬
grapher. Light must be confined to defi¬
nite areas and directed only where
needed.
Bardwell & McAlister, Inc., of Holly¬
wood, pioneers in photographic lighting-
equipment, manufacture a whole line of
special accessories for this purpose.
These practical working tools have been
developed for use by motion picture and
portrait photographers whose work re¬
quires quick and accurate means of con¬
trolling light for high quality results.
These accessories are for use with
the famous B & M Spot Lights which
range from the “Dinky Inkie” at 150
watts to the 5000 watt “Senior Spot.”
They include snoots, diffusers, barn
doors and the B & M “Foco Spot” which
not only concentrates light, but will even
confine the spot to a variety of special
shapes such as circles, squares, oblongs,
etc.
418
November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
New Maurer 16
(Continued from Page 402)
more convenient method of focusing.
The standard gear-driven feed and
take-up film magazines manufactured
for Maurer equipment in the past will
be used on the new Maurer Camera.
400-foot capacity film magazines will be
standard, but 200-foot capacity and
1200-foot capacity film magazines will
be made available. The 400-foot maga¬
zines take either 400-foot darkroom
loading film on cores, or 100-foot and
200-foot daylight loading spools.
The new Maurer Camera is extremely
quiet in operation. The camera gears
run in a sealed chamber of grease,
deadening most of the noise usually as¬
sociated with camera operation. The
camera motor is held in position on the
righthand side of the camera by two
mounting screws and is easily detached.
Synchronous motors are supplied as
standard equipment on all Maurer Cam¬
eras, although other motors are avail¬
able. The camera with finder, motor
and film magazine weighs only 28
pounds. Designed as the ideal camera
for studio use, the Maurer Camera, be¬
cause of the means provided for inter¬
changing accessory equipment, can be
used on location where space and weight
requirements become important consid¬
erations. A spring drive will be made
available for use on the Maurer Cam¬
era. This drive will operate the Maurer
Camera over a speed range of 8 f.p.s.
to 64 f.p.s. The spring drive will elimi¬
nate the need for an electric power
source in field work, as well as provid¬
ing a method of operating the camera
at other than 24 f.p.s. Equipped with a
200-foot film magazine and a spring-
drive the Maurer Camera can be taken
into tight places where space limitations
would make impossible photographing
with larger equipment.
Professional equipment is a “must”
for professional production. The new
Maurer Camera will go a long way to¬
ward improving the quality of 16-mm
cinematography, and enable the indus¬
try to realize its full potential.
Bell <& Howell Official Passes
Eric F. Carlson, widely known official
with Bell & Howell for 18 years, died
suddenly in Los Angeles on October 19th
of a heart attack. He joined BH in 1928,
and after a year at the Chicago head¬
quarters served as eastern division sales
manager in New York for a brief period,
before taking over the post of western
division sales manager at Hollywood in
1930.
New Filmosound Releases
The following current 16mm. film re¬
leases are available from the Bell &
Howell filmsound library:
THE LIFE CYCLE OF A
PLANT — 10 min.
A general study of a plant, in this
case the Lupin, from seed to seed, in¬
cluding the processes of pollination and
fertilization. College and senior high
school. Produced by G. B. Instructional,
Ltd., distributed by Bell & Howard.
BREATHING— 10 min.
Some experiments in the chemical
process of burning and oxygenation and
illustrates by growing plants that oxy¬
gen is essential for life. Various me¬
thods of recording the inhalation and
exhalation of breath are explained by
moving diagrams. College and senior
high school. Produced by G. B. Instruc¬
tional, Ltd., distributed by Bell &
Howell.
Recreational
FRISCO SAL (Universal)— 7 reels
Sheltered Eastern girl seeks her
brother on Barbary Coast, becomes a
singer and reconciles and reforms deadly
former enemies. (Susanna Foster, Tur-
han Bey, Alan Curtis, Andy Devine).
Available from August 23, 1946, for ap¬
proved non-theatrical audiences.
Compare the Fonda
Film Developer
ALL SIX WAYS.. .
1 . Low operating cost : — Fonda developing machines keep
costs to a minimum.
2. Simplicity of control : — No involved training period
necessary.
3. Quality of construction All stainless steel and made
by a leading fabricator — Solar.
4. Automatic tension Patented Fonda driving principle
regulates film slack.
5. Almost any speed range Develops film at the speed
you specify.
6. Processes any type film: — 35mm, 16mm, color, black
and white, positive, negative, reversal or microfilm.
FONDA FILM PROCESSING EQUIPMENT DIVISION
STAINLESS PRODUCTS
SALES OFFICE: 8460 SANTA MONICA BLVD., LOS ANGELES 46, CALIFORNIA • FACTORY: SAN DIEGO
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
419
STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGE¬
MENT, CIRCULATION, ETC., REQUIRED BY
THE ACTS OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24. 1912,
AND MARCH 3, 1879
Of THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER pub¬
lished Monthly at Los Angeles, California for
October 1, 1946.
State of California ) ss
County of Los Angeles f
Before me, a Notary Public in and for the State
and county aforesaid, personally appeared Walter
R. Greene, who, having been duly sworn accord¬
ing to law, deposes and says that he is the
Editor of the AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
and that the following is, to be best of his
knowledge and belief, a true statement of the
ownership, management (and if a daily paper,
the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid publication
for the date shown in the above caption, required
by the Act of August 24, 1912, as amended by the
Act of March 3, 1933, embodied in section 537,
Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the
reverse of this form, to wit :
1. That the names and addresses of the pub¬
lisher, editor, managing editor, and business man¬
agers are: Publisher, A.S.C. Agency, Inc., 1782
N. Orange Dr., Hollywood 28, Calif. ; Editor, Wal¬
ter R. Greene, 1782 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood
28, Calif. ; Managing Editor, Walter R. Greene,
1782 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood 28, Calif. ; Busi¬
ness Managers, Marguerite Duerr, 1782 N. Orange
Dr., Hollywood 28, Calif.
2. That the owner is: (If < vned by a corpora¬
tion, its name and address must be stated and also
immediately thereunder the names and addresses
of stockholders owning or holding one per cent
or more of total amount of stock. If not owned
by a corporation, the names and addresses of the
individual owners must be given. If owned by a
firm, company, or other unincorporated concern,
its name and address, as well as those of each
individual member, must be given.) A.S.C. Agency,
Inc., 1782 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood 28, Calif.,
wholly owned by the American Society of Cine¬
matographers, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose
address is 1782 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood 28,
Calif. Officers of the American Society of Cinema¬
tographers, Inc. are : President, Leonard Smith,
Hollywood 28, Calif. ; 1st Vice President, Lecn
Shamroy, Hollywood 28, Calif. ;2nd Vice Presi¬
dent, Charles Rosher, Hollywood 28, Calif. ; 3rd
Vice President, Charles G. Clarke, Hollywood 28,
Calif. ; Secretary, Ray Rennahan, Hllywood 28.
Calif. : Executive Vice President and Treasurer,
Fred W. Jackman, Hollywood 28, Calif. ; Sergeant-
at-Arms, John W. Boyle, Hollywood 28, Calif.
3. That the known bondholders, mortgagees
and other security holders owning or holding 1
per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mort¬
gages, or other securities are: (If there are none,
so state.) None.
4. That the two paragraphs next above, giving
the names of the owners, stockholders, and secur¬
ity holders, if any, contain not only the list of
stockholders and security holders as they appear
upon the books of the company but also, in cases
where the stockholder or security holder appears
upon the books of the company as trustee or in
any other fiduciary relation, the name of the per¬
son or corporation for whom such trustee is act¬
ing, is given ; also that the said two paragraphs
contain statements embracing affiant’s full knowl¬
edge and belief as to the circumstances and con¬
ditions under which stockholders and security
holders who do not appear upon the books of the
company as trustees, hold stock and securities in
a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner ;
and this affiant has no reason to believe that any
other person, association, or corporation has any
interest direct or indirect in the said stock,
bonds, or other securities than as so stated by him.
5. That the average number of copies of each
issue of this publication sold or distributed,
through the mails or otherwise, to paid subscribers
during the twelve months preceeding the date
shown above is — (This information is required
from publishers of daily, weekly, semi-weekly and
triweekly publications only.)
WALTER R. GREENE
Editor
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12th
day of October, 1946.
(Seal) Franklin H. Mills
Notary Public
(My commission expires July 3, 1949).
Acme Opens 16mm. Lab In Hollywood
Headed by executives and technicians
with long experience in professional mo¬
tion picture processing, Acme Film Lab¬
oratories, Inc., is opening a new and
completely modern plant at 1161 North
Highland Ave., Hollywood, to provide
quality laboratories services to produc¬
ers of 16 mm. films.
Gerson (Gus) Barth, as president,
will handle sales and promotion. He has
been closely associated with laboratories
and films sales for the past 30 years
both in New York and Hollywood, and
leaves a long association with Ansco
on the coast for the new enterprise.
Wilson Leahy, A.S.C., functions as
vice president in charge of production.
With background of 27 years experi¬
ence in Hollywood studio and commercial
laboratories, he was associated for
more than 10 years with the technical
motion picture department of Ansco —
which he headed for three years prior to
accepting a commission in the Navy in
1941. In service, Leahy was Division
Officer in charge of motion picture proc¬
essing at the U. S. Photo Science Lab¬
oratory at Anacostia, D. C.
Robert M. Grubel joins Acme as su¬
pervisor and chief engineer, and has
had 10 years experience in color proc¬
essing practices. During the war Grubel
spent four years as a Photo Officer, and
following return from overseas, was
assigned photographic testing and re¬
search at the Proving Ground Command.
In assembling its laboratory staff, Acme
is engaging technicians with experi¬
ence in the professional processing field.
Latest Equipment
Latest equipment installed in the new
building embracing 18,000 square feet
includes: bottom drive, lateral shaft
vertical type developing machines for
most efficient operation; non-slip 16 mm.
sound printers; automatic continuous
color printers capable of color correc¬
tion on individual scenes in cut ori¬
ginals for release printing; and dummy
sound heads in projection rooms to al¬
low for separate sound and picture pro¬
jection.
Service delivered by the developing
machines will include black-and-white
reversal, in addition to standard release
and daily prints, and fine grain long
gradation negatives. Sound prints will
also achieve maximum fidelity resulting
from non-slip printing and optimum de¬
velopment. The 16 mm. color reproduc¬
tion facilities will include both standard
and low gradation type Kodachrome
originals, with balancing of individual
scenes.
Process and Sound Available
Complete service of optical process
and special effects, and sound recording
facilities, will be available in the Acme
building. These separate departments
will be operated by engineers and tech¬
nicians who have handled the same type
of work in the major studios for 35
mm. productions. A sound stage ample
for dubbing, orchestration and produc¬
tion purposes, and fully equipped cut¬
ting rooms, are also available under the
one roof.
In establishing Acme Laboratories,
Barth and Leahy foresee greatly ex¬
panding activities in commercial and in¬
dustrial 16 mm. production, and feel that
this branch of the industry deserves
availability of the same precision meth¬
ods of processing and related factors as
are current for the high quality nega¬
tives and prints turned out by the major
producers in Hollywood.
October Cover Credit
G. R. Ritchie photographed the still
on the set of “Unconquered,” which was
our cover picture for the October issue.
Credit for this fine shot was inadvertent¬
ly omitted from the caption.
New! TFLFFIIM’S
"Ltk-On” Flange
Used by Leading Hollywood 16mm Editors
and Producers for Editing and Re-winding
It’s Telefilm’s latest 16mm. time saver! Sides are of heavy
gauge clear plastic. Engraved footage scale on inside surface
shows amount of film on spool. One side removable— so you
save time by slipping on film without winding. Nothing ever
like it for winding short lengths of film into coils quickly,
without endangering emulsion surfaces. Outer side has spe¬
cially-made locking device, allowing removal of film by
means of a simple lock. Core takes standard lab pack spools,
fits a standard 16 or 35 mm. rewind.
TRY IT 10 DAYS - MONEY BACK!
May be purchased complete, 8 inch size £17.50 or 9/ inch
size £18.50, or the face side with spool may be purchased
separately at half above prices. Immediate delivery. Use il
10 days then money back if nut delighted,
TELEFILM me.
[HOLLYWOOD 16mm HEADQUARTERS 1
6039 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28,Colif.
420 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Kodachrome Introduced
EASTMAN Kodak is immediately
introducing a new type (5262)
commercial 16 mm. Kodachrome
film, designed to provide a low contrast
color original from which a color release
print (or prints) of good quality can
be made on Kodachrome duplicating film.
Company announcement states: “Ko¬
dachrome commercial film is color bal¬
anced for a color temperature of 3200° K.
Mazda 3200° K lamps are recommended.
This film can also be used in daylight
with the newly introduced Wratten filter
No. 83, and with photoflood and Mazda
C. P. lamps with the Kodack CC14 filter.
“In order to obtain the most uniform
quality from one emulsion to the next,
emulsion filters of the Kodack CC Filter
Series may be necessary in some cases.
Information printed on the film carton
specifies the required filter, if any. If a
combination of two emulsion filters is
required and if photoflood lamps are
used, then the Kodak CC13 rather than
the CC14 filter should be used.
“The same exposure recommendations
are made for this film as for Koda¬
chrome Film, Type A. Exposure indexes
and exposure tables are given in the
data sheet provided. Exposure latitude
of Kodachrome commercial film is some¬
what greater than that of Type A film,
and the contrast is lower. The extra ex¬
posure latitude insures proper gradation
of highlights and shadows and should
not be used to absorb avoidable exposure
errors. The exposure and subject con¬
trast should be adjusted to give high¬
light densities not less than 0.45 to
0.50, and shadow densities not greater
than 1.8 to 2.0. Such^ highlights and
shadow densities are not appropriate to
good projection; but a duplicate from
such a film has lighter highlights, higher
contrast, and projects well.
“Since variations in over-all color ren¬
dition may be increased slightly on dup¬
lication, it is well to avoid slight roll-
to-roll variations. For this reason, all
the film for the production at hand
should have the same emulsion number
and should be obtained at the same time.
If exposed rolls must be held several
weeks or longer, they should be protect¬
ed from high humidity, and in hot
weather should be refrigerated. Films
should never be stored in automobiles.
“The low contrast original on Koda¬
chrome commercial film is not intended
for projection. Its contrast is purposely
low so that the contrast obtainable in its
duplicate is comparable with the con¬
trast of a good original made on Koda-
Commercial Type 16mm.
chrome type A. The original may also
show a color cast, i.e., its rendering of
neutral colors may depart from neutral.
This is done purposely in the interest of
making good duplicates. Therefore, the
color quality of the original should be
judged from its color duplicate. With
experience, it may be possible to judge
an original for color quality. Koda¬
chrome commercial film requires special
processing, and should be returned —
either in the original carton or other¬
wise packed and clearly identified as
commercial film type. Kodak processing
stations at Rochester, Chicago, Los An¬
geles, and Flushing, N. Y. are equipped
to handle this film. At the present time,
only the Rochester laboratories are
equipped to furnish daily print service
in supplying duplicates from this film.”
Lens Deal for Sweden
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company has
joined with Aga-Baltic Ab of Sweden
in formation of Aga-Bauseh & Lamb Ab
for distribution of B&L scientific and
optical lenses and instruments in Sweden
and Finland.
Victor in British Tie-Up
The Victor Animatograph line of mo¬
tion picture projectors and sound equip¬
ment will be manufactured in England
by Salford Electrical Instruments, Ltd.
of Manchester according to deal recent¬
ly negotiated by the two companies. Sal¬
ford will follow the quality specifications
and standards of Victor in turning out
projectors and accessories for sale and
distribution in Europe and Africa.
AURICON CINE-SPECIAL MOTOR DRIVE
provides synchronous 24 frame a second camera operation from 115 volt, 60
8 16 ReTOed 8
Geo. W. Colburn Laboratory
Special Motion Picture Printing
164 NORTH WACKER DRIVE
CHICAGO 6, ILL.
cycle A.C., or the Auricon Portable Power Supply. (50 cycle drive also avail¬
able.) Can be used with "double system" sound-on-film recording equipment
for making synchronized talking pictures. Prompt delivery. Price $145.00
E. M. BERNDT C0RP.
7377 BEVERLY BOULEVARD
LOS ANGELES 3 6, CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND • ON - FILM RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
421
New Photographic Firm
David M. Klein and Walter N. New,
both war veterans, have formed Aurora
Industries, Inc., in Chicago for the de¬
sign and manufacture of photographic
specialties. Initial products are portable
screens.
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
PRECISION PHOTO LENSES
An American Product Since 1899
46 YEARS IN THE FRONT LINE OF
PHOTO-OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
Executives of Victor Animatograph
Corporation and some of its distributors who attended recent sales
conference in Chicago.
ASC Resumes Technical Meetings
Because of their excellence in performance in all
branches of photography, in war or peace, the
demand for them has tremendously increased.
It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
backlog of orders, for so many different types
and sizes, and build up our war-depleted stock
for prompt shipment to the dealers all over.
To assure yourself of the earliest possible deliv¬
ery we urge you to place NOW through your
dealer your order for the lens you have selected.
You will be repaid for your patience manifold
with the satisfaction derived from its use later.
REMEMBER:
For making first-class pictures, a
"GOERZ AMERICAN"
lens will give you a lifetime of pleasure
The c. p. GOERZ AMERICAN
OPTICAL COMPANY
OFFICE AND FACTORY
317 East 34th St., New York 16, N. Y.
AC- 1 I
American Society of Cinematograph¬
ers resumed its regular monthly technical
meetings at the Hollywood clubhouse on
October 28th, with program lined up
by Charles Clarke, A. S. C., and John
Boyle, A. S. C., comprising an excellent
selection of papers and demonstrations.
Because of requirement of wartime se¬
crecy and other factors, the technical
sessions had to be suspended for the past
several years. Meetings will be arranged
for the first Monday of each month
henceforth. A large turnout of members
and guests greeted the initial session,
which was chairmaned by Charles
Clarke.
Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C., of Bausch
& Lomb Optical Co., Rochester, gave a
most informative talk on coated lenses
as applied to motion picture photogra¬
phy. A large selection of slides illus¬
trated the paper. A demonstration film
of the Zoomar lens was exhibited, and
H. T. Souther followed with a slide-
illustrated paper on “Composition :‘n
Motion Pictures.” John A. Maurer then
gave a brief talk on the new Maurer
professional 16 mm. motion picture cam¬
era, and had one of the latter on dis¬
play for the members to look over fol¬
lowing the meeting’s close.
Through the courtesy of W. D. Buck¬
ingham of Western Union Electronics
Division, equipment was loaned to briefly
demonstrate the new concentrated-arc
lamp developed by WU research labora¬
tories; and general consensus was that
the lamp could be utilized for obtaining
special and unusual lighting effects in
professional motion picture photography.
It was fortunate that the initial ASC
technical meeting followed the close of
the SMPE convention, which allowed for
the appearance of Dr. Rayton and Mr.
Maurer on the program.
S.M.P.E. Convention
(Continued from Page 416)
scribed in American Cinematographer,
October, 1946) and “A New Series of
Camera Lenses for 16 mm. Cinematog¬
raphy,” by W. B. Rayton of Bausch &
Lomb Optical Co., Rochester, N. Y. The
latter highly informative technical paper
will be republished as soon as it is avail¬
able. Allen Jacobs of Calvin Company,
Kansas City, delivered a paper on the
past lack of adequate equipment for the
making of sound on 16 mm., which
is becoming more important with the
wider use of 16 mm. for commercial and
industrial firms. R. H. Talbot of East¬
man Kodak presented an informative
paper on “A Method for Determining the
Shape of the Focal Surface in 16 mm.
Projection.”
Wider Film Uses
From the wide variety of papers pre¬
sented at the convention, the professional
and amateur film producer and enthusi¬
asts will shortly have many new and
startling methods, tools and advance de¬
signed equipment to greatly enhance the
technical qualities of motion pictures.
In addition, general consensus indi¬
cates the growing spread of motion pic¬
tures into wide fields of heretofore un¬
thought of activities and functions.
(Editor’s Note: Virtually the complete
list of papers as presented appeared in
last month’s issue of American Cinema¬
tographer.)
RENTALS
SALES
SERVICE
Mitchell— Bell & Howell
(USED) (USED)
Standard, Silenced, N.C., Hi-Speed, Process,
and Eyemo Cameras.
Fearless Blimps and Panoram Dollys —
Synchronizers — Moviolas
35mm Double System Recording Equipment
Cutting Room Equipment
WE SPECIALIZE in REPAIR WORK on
MITCHELL and BELL & HOWELL CAMERAS
c.kit cmEouiP
Cir<it 6 5080
(£flnKRfl€ouipni€nT(5.
FRANK C. SUCKER
1600 BRORDUJRS tlCUJ BORK CITS
422 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 404)
shouting at your players, as that is the
surest way to jolt them out of the mood.
The cameraman has slated the scene,
and now you call for a take. The lights
are brought up to full illumination for
the scene. The actors take their places.
Your assistant will shout “Quiet,” sev¬
eral times (not to provide atmosphere,
but to be sure no extraneous sounds are
picked up by the microphone). You
alert your actors with a ready-cue, then
say “Camera!” to the operator. The
camera starts rolling, and there is an
interval of a few seconds before the
sound apparatus reaches full recording
speed. When it does, the sound man will
say: “Speed!” You will then say: “Ac¬
tion!” to your actors, and they will be¬
gin acting out the scene.
While the scene is being shot, you
carefully watch the action, notice the
way the dialogue is delivered, and
check for pace and tempo. When the
scene has run its course, you say “Cut”
and the action ceases. You then ask the
cameraman if the take was all right for
the camera. If, by some miracle, the
first take was perfect, you tell the
script clerk to “Print that one,” and
she will make a note of it to be referred
to when the film is processed.
If, however (as is usually the case),
something is not quite right in the way
the scene was executed, you will briefly
discuss the shortcoming with the per¬
son responsible and then call for an¬
other take. The scene is repeated (de¬
pending upon the latitude of the budget,
of course), until you and the cameraman
are both satisfied that it is as near
perfect as any scene will ever be. You
both proceed to the next scene indi¬
cated on the shooting schedule.
The Summing Up
As the above production outline im¬
plies, smooth functioning on the set
depends upon two things: pre-planning
and close co-operation between cast and
crew. Pre-planning means that the di¬
rector and his technicians have taken
the time to forsee all eventualities that
might develop, and have planned ac¬
cordingly. In this way, there is little
waste of time, money, and effort.
The importance of co-operation can¬
not be over-emphasized. If the personnel
working on the picture will all pull to¬
gether and work in harmony for the
good of the film, if they are big enough
to place the picture’s success ahead of
personal ego — then the results are
bound to show up favorably on the
screen.
Another good rule (paraphrasing the
Boy Scout motto) is: “Be Prepared for
Anything.” Arrange your schedule so
that if any unexpected hold-up occurs,
you can “shoot around” it. Always have
on the set a kit containing such things
as thread, pins, nails, tape, paper, pen¬
cils, glue, aspirin tablets, razor blades,
etc. You never can tell when one of
these small items will save the day on
the set.
The specific problems of outdoor shoot¬
ing and location trips include transpor¬
tation, waiting for sunlight, and pro¬
visions for the meals and the physical
comfort of the personnel. If these fac¬
tors are well thought out in advance,
shooting is sure to proceed much more
smoothly.
Having detailed on-the-set procedure,
we are now ready to go on to our next
important phase of production.
NEXT ISSUE: Exterior Shooting.
Ansco Expands Research
Expansion of the general research de-
pai’tment of Ansco results in promotions
and additions to the staff. Dr Herman
Hoerlin heads the newly-created post of
manager of physics research laboratory,
while Dr Frank J. Kaszuba becomes
manager of the chemistry research lab¬
oratory. Another new classification is
added with the promotion of Dr. Gustav
A. Wiesehahn and Ronald H. Bingham
to function as research specialists.
Dr. William L. Wasley, formerly as¬
sistant professor of chemistry at Wash¬
ington University, St. Louis, joins the
research staff in capacity of a research
group leader. Simultaneously, Dr. Ben¬
jamin R. Harriman, Dr. Thomas R.
Thompson, and Monroe H. Sweet are
promoted to ranks of research group
leaders.
I want to buy your
• Contax
• Leica
• Graphic or
• Miniature
• Camera
Send it in . . . merchandise returned
postpaid if not entirely satisfied.
pass
Camera Co.
179 W. MADISON ST.
CHICAGO 2, ILL.
Don't Forget to Buy
CHRISTMAS SEALS
This Year
FOR LIGHT ON EASTERN PRODUCTION --
C. ROSS
For Lighting Equipment
As sol© distributors East of the Mississippi we carry the full and
complete line of latest-type Inkle and H.I.-Arc equipment
manufactured by
MOLE-RICHARDSON, Inc.
Hollywood - California
Your requirements for interior or exterior locations taken care
of to the last minute detail anywhere
☆
MOTOR GENERATOR TRUCKS
RENTALS SALES SERVICE
☆
CHARLES ROSS, Inc.
333 West 52nd St., New York, N. Y. Phones: Circle 6-5470-1
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
423
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members
As this issue of American Cinematog¬
rapher goes to press, members of the
A.S.C. were engaged as Directors of
Photography in the Hollywood studios
as follows:
EYEMO CAMERAS
Single lens F2.5 models, model K's, compact
turret, model Q focusing, 3 lenses, motor, posi¬
tive finders, 400 foot magazines, tripod, case.
Stock of fast Astro and Meyer lenses, 25mm. to
12". Eyemax 6" F4.5 lenses, $64.50 each.
Arriflex 200 foot motor driven 35mm. camera,
tachometer, Fli-Hat, 12 volt lightweight plastic
battery, case with fittings, tripod complete.
Choice of fast Astro, Meyer, Sonnar and Biotar
coated lenses.
Akeley camera motor, 6 volt. Akeley 35mm.
matched Carl Zeiss F3.5 lenses.
Two smallest, lightweight, motorized internal 200
foot magazine newsreel 35mm. cameras with
built-in 6 volt motor, dissolving shutter, automatic
turret, direct focusing, tachometer, fast Astro and
Meyer lenses, complete.
Mitchell type, silent 1000 foot 35mm. cameras,
adapted for Mitchell magazines with FI. 9. F2.3
Astro lenses, 12 volt motor, free head tripod,
direct focusing, rackover ground glass, dissolving
shutter, tachometer, like brand new.
Akeley Camera, Complete
Weston No. 614 studio foot candle meters, new,
$51.00.
Weston Master II, and S. E. Exposure Meters,
new, immediate delivery.
35mm. De Vry 1000 foot, 1000 watt, type E S F,
sound on film projector, amplifier, cables, com¬
plete, like new.
35mm. Moviola, Model D
WE BUY, TRADE, REPAIR, DESIGN I6MM.
EQUIPMENT TO YOUR ORDER.
CAMERAMART
70 WEST 45TH STREET NEW YORK
Cable: CAMERAMART
Columbia
Joseph Walker, “The Guilt of Janet
Ames,” with Rosalind Russell, Melvyn
Douglas, Sid Caesar.
Burnett Guffey, “They Walk Alone,”
with Glenn Ford, Janis Carter, Edgar
Buchanan, Barry Sullivan, Karen Mor-
ley.
Fred Jackman, Jr., “Twin Sombreros”
(Cinecolor), with Randolph Scott, Bar¬
bara Britton, Bruce Cabot, Grant With¬
ers.
Charles Lawton, Jr., “The Lady From
Shanghai,” with Rita Hayworth, Orson
Welles, Glenn Anders.
George Meehan, “Millie’s Daughter,”
with Gladys George, Gay Nelson.
Enterprise
Russell Metty, “Arch of Triumph,”
with Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer,
Ruth Warrick, Michael Chekhov.
Victor Milner, “The Other Love,” with
Barbara Stanwyck, David Niven, Robert
Stack.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Robert Surtees, “Unfinished Dance”
(Technicolor), with Margaret O’Brien,
Cyd Charisse, Danny Thomas.
Hal Rosson, “To Kiss and Keep,” with
Gene Kelly, Marie McDonald, Charles
Winninger, Spring Byington.
Robert Planck, “It Happened in Brook¬
lyn,” with Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Gray¬
son, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante.
Sidney Wagner, “The Romance of
Rosy Ridge,” with Van Johnson, Thomas
Mitchell, Marshall Thompson, Guy Kibbe.
George Folsey, “Green Dolphin Street,”
with Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna
Reed, Edmund Gwenn, Reginald Owen.
Charles Rosher, “The Personal Touch,”
with Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold,
Lucille Bremer, James Craig, Keye Luke.
Charles Salerno, “Undercover Maisie,”
with Ann Sothern, Barry Nelson, Mark
Daniels.
Paramount
Ray Rennahan, “Unconquered” (Tech¬
nicolor), with Gary Cooper, Paulette
Goddard, Howard daSilva, Cecil Kell-
away, Ward Bond, Katherine DeMille,
Boris Karloff.
Charles Lang, “Desert Town” (Hal
Wallis Prod,) (Technicolor), with John
Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott, Burt Lancaster,
Mary Astor.
John Seitz, “The Big Haircut,” with
Alan Ladd, Dorothy Lamour, Robert,
Preston, Lloyd Nolan.
Lionel Linden, “Variety Girl,” with
Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest
Kelley.
PRC
Virgil Miller, “Red Stallion,” with
Robert Paige, Noreen Nash.
RKO
Sol Polito, “A Time to Kill” (Hakim-
Litvak Prod.), with Henry Fonda, Bar¬
bara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price, Ann
Dvorak.
Archie Stout, “Tarzan and the Hunt¬
ress” (Sol Lesser Prod.), with Johnny
Weismuller, Brenda Joyce, John Shef¬
field, Patricia Morison.
Jack Mackenzie, “Thunder Mountain,”
with Tim Holt, Richard Martin, Martha
Hyer.
Republic
Tony Gaudio, “Gallant Man,” with
Don Ameche, Catherine McLeod, Rosco
Karns.
20th Century-Fox
Norbert Brodine, “Boomerang,” with
Dana Andrews, Frank Latimore, Jane
Wyatt, Lee J. Cobb.
Harry Jackson, “Mother Wore Tights,”
(Technicolor), with Betty Grable, Dan
Dailey, Peggy Ann Garner, William
Frawley.
Leon Shamroy, “Forever Amber”
(Technicolor), with Linda Darnell, Cor¬
nel Wilde, Richard Greene, George
Sanders.
United Artists
Franz Planer, “Vendetta” (California
Pictures), with DeGeorge, Faith Dorner-
gue, Hillary Brooke, Nigel Bruce, J.
Carroll Naish.
Russell Harlan, “Red River” (Mont¬
erey Prod.), with John Wayne, Mont¬
gomery Clift, Walter Brennan. -John
Ireland.
John Boyle, “Who Killed ‘Doc’ Robin’/
(Hal Roach Prod.) (Cinecolor), with
Virginia Grey, Don Castle, George Zucco.
Lucien Andriot, “New Orleans” (Ma¬
jestic Prods.), with Arturo de Cordova,
Dorothy Patrick, Marjorie Lord, Irene
Rich.
William Daniels, “Personal Column”
(Hunt Stromberg Prod.), with George
Sanders, Lucille Ball, Cedricke Hard-
wicke.
Universal-International
Milton Krasner, “The Egg and I,”
with Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMur-
ray, Marjorie Main, Louise Allbritton.
Warners
Joseph Valentine, “Possessed,” with
Joan Crawford, Van Heflin, Raymond
Massey, Geraldine Brooks.
Wesley Anderson, “Love and Learn,”
with Jack Carson, Robert Hutton, Martha
Vickers, Janis Paige.
Peverell Marley, “Night Unto Night,”
with Viveca Lindfors, Ronald Reagan,
Osa Massen, Brod Crawford.
Arthur Edeson and William Skall, “My
Wild Irish Rose” (Technicolor), with
Dennis Morgan, Andrea King, Arlene
Dahl, Alan Hale, George Tobias, George
O’Brien.
Carl Guthrie, “The Woman in White,”
with Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, Syd¬
ney Greenstreet.
Ted McCord, “Deep Valley,” with Dane
Clark, Ida Lupino, Wayne Morris.
GE Issues Dmitri Tips
“Tips on Better Color Pictures,” by
Ivan Dmitri, has been issued in color-
illustrated booklet by General Electric
Company. Although primarily designed
for the still color photographer, amateur
movie makers will find it interesting and
informative in their field also.
424 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
MGM Subjective Feature
(Continued from Page 401}
In the sequences where Montgomery
appears before the mirror, the main
problem was to couple the movements
of the camera with his movements as
he approached or withdrew, and to main¬
tain his “point of view” without picking
up the reflection of the camera. The re¬
sult was accomplished by precisely key¬
ing the action to the carema stops, and
by setting the mirrors into their frames
at a slight angle. .
Set lighting, also, presented difficul¬
ties not encountered in the average pic¬
ture. Because the camera had to move
so fluidly about the set, very few floor
lighting units could be used. Most of
the lights had to be mounted overhead,
some even being hung by ropes in the
center of the set.
The entirely different conception of
picture required the players to look di¬
rectly into the lens as they spoke their
lines, a practice which in any other type
of film would be strictly taboo. Also,
since there could be very few cuts in
the picture, scenes frequently ran as
long as eight minutes per take.
For operating cameraman Jimmy
Harper, the assignment was a spirited
challenge. Like all first-rate operators,
he had always been careful to frame and
center compositions precisely, and to
use only the smoothest type of camera
movement. In “Lady,” however, he fre¬
quently had to let his compositions go
beserk in order to simulate the tempo¬
rarily unbalanced viewpoint of the main
character. Also, a good deal of the cam¬
era movement had to be more-or-less
erratic in order to duplicate the eye
movements of the detective.
Summing up the camera problems on
the picture, cinematographer Vogel
says: “Our biggest headache on a film
like this was to accomplish all the re¬
quired effects without calling the au¬
dience’s attention to the mechanics of
the techniques involved. Everyone work¬
ing on the picture had to adopt a com¬
pletely fresh point of view. We had con¬
stantly to think in terms of camera.”
Sound Goes Subjective
But the headaches didn’t stop in the
camera department. The sound boys had
their hands full trying to pick up dia¬
logue as the camera went careening
about huge areas of set. Often it was
necessary to use as many as six micro¬
phones strategically placed and con¬
cealed. Where the “mikes” were sus¬
pended from conventional booms, the
added problem of multiple microphone
shadows presented itself.
Sound perspective was also a factor
to be reckoned with. Montgomery re¬
corded most of his dialogue into a port¬
able microphone set up next to his di¬
rector’s chair off-scene. In the final dub¬
bing, his voice was piped in a bit more
loudly than the others in order to make
the sound seem closer and more inti¬
mate, thus pointing up the subjective
effect.
Preliminary previews of the film have
drawn highly enthusiastic audience re¬
action, and it is likely that the nation’s
filmgoers will respond favorably to a
picture such as this and is actually an
experience to watch. To the cinema
technician it will come as a special treat,
since it establishes a unique concept of
picture-making and tends to prove that
there is, indeed, something new under
the Hollywood sun.
167th Signal Corps Company
Publishes Combat History
A most complete and comprehensive
history of the activities of the 167th
Signal Photographic Company, United
States Signal Corps, U. S. Army, has
been issued in a 150 page book compiled
by the group.
Generally, there’s at least a five or
ten year lapse between the disbanding
of a company before someone interested
gets the urge to round up a history.
But the boys of the 167th stepped right
in early this year, when both informa¬
tion, memories and pictures were avail¬
able for the compilation.
Tribute is paid to the commanding
officer, Captain Merle Chamberlain, of
Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer studios; and
through breezy writing and a wealth of
pictures, the training, maneuvers, and
detailed action of various units over¬
seas with the 12th U. A. Army are neat¬
ly described. For the members of the
167th, the history must be one of the
most prized possessions of the associa¬
tion.
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BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • November, 1946
426
Birmingham's International
Open Exhibition Set
Birmingham Photographic Society of
Birmingham, England, will present its
51st annual International Open Exhi¬
bition February 1st to 15th, 1947 ; with
entries to be judged by Alexander
Keighley, Hon. F. R. P. S. Information
and entry forms may be secured from
Vernon Bates, A. R. P. S., 41 Spies
Lane, Birmingham, 32, by those in¬
terested in submitting prints and slides.
Entries close January 7th.
Spangler Represents Telefilm
Ralf M. Spangler & Associates of
Hollywood have again been appointed
national advertising and publicity rep¬
resentatives of Telefilm Studios Inc.,
16mm, film studios of Hollywood, for the
coming year.
Telefilm Expands Color Dept.
Telefilm Studios has doubled its ca¬
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facilities and equipment being com¬
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search engineer Lloyd N. Christenson.
McKinley
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CAMERA MART, INC.
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W. 42nd St., New York 18.
WANTED
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426 November, 1946 • American Cinematographer
He interprets with light...
• This scene, from the moment of its con¬
ception, had dramatic possibilities. But it
was the director of photography who made
them more than possibilities.
His was the creative skill, the spectacu¬
lar, interpretive use of light that produced
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reality.
To get the utmost from his special skill,
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so often prefers Eastman Plus-X for gen¬
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he turns to Eastman Super-XX for use
under adverse lighting conditions.
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ROCHESTER 4, NEW YORK
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American Cinematographer • December, 194G 431
JOHN SEITZ. ACE PARAMOUNT CAMERAMAN, AND OTTO PIERCE, OPERATOR, SHOOTING "THE BIG HAIRCUT”, DIRECTED BY TAY
GARNETT. THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION IS BEING FILMED WITH A MITCHELL CAMERA. PHOTO COURTESY PARAMOUNT STUDIOS.
JOHN SEITZ, A.S.C., noted for his original
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85%of the motion pictures shown in theatres throughout the world are filmed with a Mitchell
VOL. 27
DECEMBER, 1946
NO. 12
CONTENTS
The Staff
Aces of the Camera (Ed B. DuPar, A.S.C.) . By Roe Fleet 435
“The Killers” — Teamwork on Film Production By Herb A. Lightman 436
The M-R “Brute,” a New Super High Intensity Carbon Ai-c
Lamp . By Peter Mole
Camera and Tripod on His Shoulder . By Hal Herman
Dr. Wilbur B. Rayton Passes .
The Cinema Workshop (6. Exterior Shooting) . ..By Charles Loring
Membership Roll of the American Society of Cinematographers ....
Among the Movie Clubs .
Universal Acquires Filmosound Library .
Current Assignments of A.S.C. Members .
Index to Volume XXVII .
438
440
442
444
448
450
459
460
464
ON THE FRONT COVER— Director of Photography Hal Mohr, A.S.C.
(at left in white hat) stands by while technicians set up the lights and
equipment for a big production shot in “Fandango” at Universal Inter¬
national. Picture, being filmed in Technicolor, stars Jean Pierre Aumont
and Yvonne De Carlo.
OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Leonard Smith. President Fred Jackman, Exec. V.-Pres. and Treas.
Leon Sbamroy, First Vice-President Charles Rosher, Second Vice-President
Charles Clarke. Third Vice-President Ray Rennahan, Secretary
John W. Boyle, Sergeant-at-Arms
Arthur Edesoa Gordon Jennings
George Folsey Sol Polito
Lee Gacrmes
John Seitz
William Skall
Joseph Walker
EDITOR
Walter R. Greene
o
TECHNICAL EDITOR
Emery Huse. A.S.C.
e
MILITARY ADVISOR
Col. Nathan Levinson
e
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mel Traxel
ARTIST
Glenn R. Kershner. A.S.C.
CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING
Marguerite Duerr
e
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Fred W. Jackman, A.S.C.
John Arnold. A.S.C.
Arthur Edeson, A.S.C.
Lee Garmes, A.S.C.
Charles Rosher, A.S.C.
Leon Shamroy, A.S.C.
Fred Gage, A.S.C.
Dr. J. S. Watson, A.S.C.
Dr. L. A. Jones, AJS.C.
Dr. C. E. K. Mees. A.S.C.
Dr. W. B. Rayon, A.S.C.
Dr. V. B. Sease, A.S.C.
e
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elisabeth Street. Melbourne,
Australian and New Zealand Agents
Published monthly by A. S. C. Agency, Inc.
Editorial and business offices :
1782 North Orange Drive
Hollywood (Los Angeles, 28), California
Telephone: GRanite 2135
o
Established 1920. Advertising rates on appli¬
cation. Subscriptions: United States and Pan-
American Union, $2.50 per year; Canada, $2.75
per year; Foreign, $3.50. Single copies, 26e;
back numbers, 30c ; foreign, single copies, 35c,
back numbers, 40c. Copyright 1946 by A. S. C.
Agency, Inc.
•
Entered as second-class matter Nov. 18, 1937,
at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California, under
the act of March 3, 1879.
American Cinematographer • December, 1946
433
THE FILM INDUSTRY’S
Always dependable "high quality” film
processing in a laboratory equipped with
HOUSTON Model 10
35mm negative and posi¬
tive film processed up to
2400 feet per hour. Prompt
delivery on standard models.
HOUSTON PROCESSING MACHINES
Positive film tension control by adjustable friction
clutch drive.
Thermostatic Temperature Control of solution by
refrigeration and heating.
Continuous replenishment of developer from built-
in storage tanks.
Fully automatic. Completely self-contained. Stain¬
less steel construction.
Standard equipment may be adapted to
meet your special processing requirement
Houston
LARGEST PRODUCERS OF
RiNTERS, CAMERA DOLLIES AND CRANES
HOUSTON PORTABLE
Model 11 — 16mm
Daylight processing of
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or reversal film up to 25
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for immediate delivery.
Write for descriptive folder
THE HOUSTON CORPORATION
11801 West Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles 25, Calif.
ACES of the CAMERA
ED B. Du PAR, A. S. C.
By ROE
THIS month, in view of the 20th
anniversary of soundfilms, it is
appropriate that we introduce Ed
Du Par, A.S.C., the motion picture
photographer who was directly asso¬
ciated with the initial experimentation
and development of sound pictures for
FLEET
Warner Brothers back in the mid¬
twenties.
Prior to taking his stance behind a
motion picture camera, Du Par had
toured in a vaudeville act under billing
of “The Dancing Du Pars, the boys
with the educated feet.” They finished
a tour of the Sullivan and Considine
circuit in Los Angeles, and Ed quickly
got a job at the old Mack Sennett stu¬
dios running props for director Eddie
Cline. Shortly thereafter, he joined the
special effects and trick camera depart¬
ment headed by Fred Jackman, Sr.,
and — although later on a production
camera for a good many years- — he
could not resist the call to return to
the intriguing work of special effects,
and became associated with the Warner
department in 1935 for a current 11-
year tenure.
Special effects and trick photography
taxes the ingenuity of the photogra¬
phers at every turn, and is one of the
most fascinating branches of motion
picture camera work in production.
Du Par, with detailed and thorough
training in the first trick photographic
department in Hollywood under Jack-
man at the old Sennett studios, figures
that this supplemental type of assign¬
ment is most important to the complete
photographic success of a production;
and never lacking in inventiveness.
Du Par’s story might better be told in
the first person as he described his ex¬
periences. Shortly after joining the
Sennett organization, he stated that
Fred Jackman, who was devising the
special effects and trick shots that
added materially to the fame of the
Mack Sennett comedies, asked if Ed
would like to join his staff.
“Of course, I jumped at the chance,”
Ed explained. “One of the first jobs I
had with him was down at the Palisades
in Santa Monica. At that time the
streetcar tracks crossed the mouth of
ihe cair’on on a bridge with telephone
piling. Fred had figured out a shot with
a couple of autos chasing each other
as they went in and out of those
pilings. In order to cover the shot we
had to go up on top of the Palisades and
come down a little ridge to a point
where we could set up the camera. Well,
we got the camera down and set up — an
old Pathe, by the way — and Fred said
he would go down and direct the chase
while I was to photograph it. He in¬
structed me on the speed of the crank,
and departed. In the meantime, a good
stiff breeze came in from the ocean, hit
the cliffs, and almost blew the camera
and me off the cliff for a drop of about
100 feet. Despite this, we made the
shot, and I did my best to crank at the
speed and still keep it steady — but it
was at speed of 6, while at the time
the dramatic speed was 16 and the
cranking for comedy 12.
“Fred told me I had better practice
speeds, as I would be doing a lot of
cranking, so I got a stop-watch and
camera and practiced on the different
speeds to get them set in my mind and
make it more automatic in judging. I
almost wore out the camera practicing,
but got so proficient that I could go
from stop motion to 16 and back again
in a scene. In those days, when you
changed speeds, you had to crank with
(Continued on Page 454)
American Cinematographer • December, 1946
435
THE KILLERS"
Teamwork On Film
PRODUCTION
By HERB A. LIGHTMAN
IT happens all too frequently in Holly¬
wood that, during the course of shoot¬
ing a motion picture, the sound stage
becomes a kind of arena in which clash¬
ing personalities and “artistic tempera¬
ments” lock horns, often with serious
detriment to the resulting film.
This friction does not always erupt
into open warfare, but makes itself felt
in a kind of tug-o’-war between egos, so
that each player or technician becomes
bent upon making his particular special¬
ity stand out from the rest of the pic¬
ture whether it remains in key with the
overall production approach or not.
Since this procedure is more often
the rule than the exception, it is refresh¬
ing and pi’ofessionally encouraging
when, once in a cinematic blue moon, a
film is completed that exemplifies the
very essence of creative teamwork in
picture-making. Such a film is “The Kil¬
lers,” a Mark Hellinger production, now
in national release through Universal-
International.
“The Killers,” besides providing tense¬
ly-paced thriller entertainment, comes
to the screen as almost pure cinema. It
is a story that could not have been told
with such stunning force in any other
medium. Moi’e important, it is a film
whose smooth blending of the various
production elements is so perfect that it
is difficult even for the critic to tell
where the effect of one technique leaves
off and that of another begins.
Such a result is not accidental. Such
excellence is never haphazard. In this
particular case, the smooth integration
of production elements is the l-esult of
a definite point-of-view originated by
the film’s producer and projected with
contagious enthusiasm to the players and
technicians. The proof of the cinematic
pudding lies, not only in the extrava¬
gant critical acclaim which has been
heaped upon the film, but also in the
warm box-office welcome the picture
has received in playing dates through¬
out the country.
Mai’k Hellinger, producer of “The
Killers,” is a man whose many years
of background as newspaper reporter
and columnist have given him a dra¬
matic instinct that is realistic, and at
the same time, human. He is a down-
to-earth, cards-on-the-table, thoroughly
likable personality whose own glowing
enthusiasm for motion pictures conveys
itself to his co-workers with productive
result.
He first became interested in Ernest
Hemingway’s story, “The Killers,” when
it was initially published in 1927, and
he felt that it would make a smashing
opening sequence for a motion picture.
In later years, after he had become a
film producer, he tried to interest sev¬
eral studios in filming the property, but
when he mentioned the author’s price
($50,000), studio heads invariably be¬
gan to talk about the weather.
Independent Set-up Scores
It wasn’t until Hellinger joined Uni¬
versal-International as an independent
producer that he was able to draw a re¬
sponsive ear for “The Killers.” Then,
lo and behold, the studio promptly
bought the yarn without any quibbling
about price, and told him to go ahead
and film it. All this in the face of gen¬
eral opinion within the industry that
this particular short story could never
be successfully expanded into a feature-
length film.
It is no wonder, therefore, that Mark
Hellinger is highly in favor of the inde¬
pendent producing set-up. “Under the
usual studio system,” he points out, “a
producer is often handed a story for
which he has no personal enthusiasm.
He turns it over to a director who grudg¬
ingly agrees to ‘do his best with it’ — and
the other technicians, sensing this luke¬
warm attitude, are similarly uninspired
about the whole, thing. By way of con¬
trast — when the independent field func¬
tions correctly, a very happy state ex¬
ists. The producer does not make a pic¬
ture unless he is personally enthusiastic
about the story, and it is that enthusi¬
asm, carrying over to the other techni¬
cians, that results in a well-integrated
film.”
In the case of “The Killers,” once the
story had been purchased, there re¬
mained the job of expanding it into a
Into a wayside lunchroom (at left) come two paid murderers stalkinq their prey. This situation forms the openinq sequence of "The Killers." Mark Hellinqer's
outstandinq film adaptation of Ernest Heminqway’s short story. Throuqh flashbacks, we explore the life of the murdered man, includinq his career as a boxer
(at right). "The Killers" is an outstandinq example of effective teamwork between the various technicians enqaqed in production.
436
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Photographic treatment of "The Killers" sets a new standard of realism that is at the same time artistic. In the prison-cell sequence (at left) a single shaft
of light was used as illumination to sharply point up the dramatic situation. The burial sequence (at right) was shot with OUT-OF-BALANCE lighting, making
dramatic use of black and white contrast. Cinematographer Woody Bredell, A.S.C., keyed his cinematic approach precisely to story's dramatic requirements.
suitable script. It was planned to retain
the original story intact for the first se¬
quence, and construct a complete back¬
ground for the action shown. There were
to be no stars in the picture, a situation
that is usually a definite handicap at
the box-office. In this case, however, it
worked as a distinct advantage, since
scenarist Anthony Veiller was able to
write the story is it should be written,
without having to rearrange the plot to
fit the talents of specific stars.
Besides the original Hemingway story,
there were certain other dramatic situa¬
tions which producer Hellinger wanted
to include in the screenplay — notably
the deathbed confession of gangster
“Dutch” Schultz, and the details of a
daring payroll robbery which occurred
several years ago. Blending all these ele¬
ments, the scenarist evolved a tight,
hard-hitting screenplay that consistent¬
ly retained the atmosphere of the ori¬
ginal Hemingway yarn.
Production Jig-Saw Puzzle
As the script was being polished, Hel¬
linger began to assemble his technical
staff for actual shooting of the picture.
He had been very favorably impressed
by the cinematic quality of “Phantom
Lady,” a thriller that Universal made
several years ago. Fortunately, he found
that both the director of that film (Rob¬
ert Siodmak), and its cinematographer
(Woody Bredell, A.S.C.) were available
for his unit.
A preliminary conference followed in
which the production was discussed from
every possible angle. Both the director
and cinematographer had suggestions
to offer on treatment, and Hellinger en¬
couraged them to “kick the story
around” and let their imagination play
with it. “This method worked like a
charm,” he recalls, “Director Siodmak
deserves special credit for his contribu¬
tions to the screen treatment. Usually,
when you hand a director a script, you
are happy if he can bring out 85% of
the potential dramatic values it contains.
But when you give the script to a di¬
rector like Siodmak and he gives you
back 125% — well, you’ve really got
something there.”
Meanwhile, cinematographer Bredell
was casting about for a special photo¬
graphic treatment to bring out the best
in the story. Extensive casting tests had
to be made to select the right girl for the
lead. As he worked on these tests and
experimented with different styles of
lighting, a certain forceful photographic
quality began to find its way onto the
film. A magnificent camera mood evolved,
a mood which later permeated the en¬
tire picture.
With the producer, director and cine¬
matographer thus inspired, enthusiasm
soon became contagious. The other tech¬
nicians and players became eager to do
their best. From the very beginning,
something in the air indicated that this
was going to be an outstanding film. So
confident was Hellinger, that he was
willing to show separate scenes and se¬
quences to the press even before the film
was completed — a risk that is rarely
taken in criticism-conscious Hollywood.
The simple truth of the matter is that
one good technical job encouraged the
other technicians to do a good job also.
“It’s like being used to playing golf
with a bunch of duffers,” Hellinger
points out, “When all of a sudden you
find yourself playing with a set of pros,
you try to give the game all you’ve got.
In an all-around good picture, every
phase of production looks good. But
if, on the other hand, a picture is gen¬
erally poor, brilliant direction, striking
camerawork, or any other one outstand¬
ing phase of production usually goes un¬
noticed.”
The Director and the Camera
Rarely has there existed such perfect
rapport between cameramen and director
as characterized the filming of “The
Killers.” Siodmak is a director who real¬
ly knows his camera and uses it to paint
a dramatic picture in the same way that
an artist would use his brush. He de¬
signs all of his own camera set-ups in
closest cooperation with the Director of
Photography.
“The creative use of the camera is a
lost art,” he maintains. “We have let
ourselves over-glamourize motion pic¬
ture photography to the point where it
becomes unreal. Actually, there is no
such thing as photography that is in
itself good or bad. All that is really im¬
portant is that the camera convey some¬
thing expressive within the scene.”
Siodmak prefers to follow a screen
story through every phase of production.
He likes to be in on the “heartbreak” of
writing the script. He is interested in
every technician’s job, and he appreci¬
ates what they all contribute to the film.
Similarly, he feels that everyone work¬
ing on the picture should be familiar
with the director’s conception of the
story. He works out his key scenes in
precise detail before shooting begins, but
relies entirely on his own impressions
during filming to fill in between these
key scenes. He feels that the director
is the one technician who can really see
the overall concept of the film. There¬
fore, it is this basic production pattern
that must be followed. However, within
that pattern, the cinematographer and
allied technicians should be left free to
experiment and create forceful effects.
“I am happy if, out of an entire fea¬
ture, I can place on film 500 feet of pure
cinema,” Siodmak explains. “Art is noth¬
ing more than the elimination of unes¬
sential details. Therefore, the filmic pre¬
sentation should always leave something
to the audience’s imagination. In modern
production it is a temptation to overdo
the use of unusual techniques, such as
the moving camera. In ‘The Killers,’
rather than use unmotivated camera
movement, we employed a relatively
(Continued on Page 458)
American Cinematographer • December, 1946
437
.spread on the Type 450 and 10° beam
spread on the Type 170 the ratio is fur¬
ther increased.
Fig. 2 illustrates the comparison be¬
tween the Type 450 and the Type 170
lamps in light intensity, Within a 20 ft.
diameter spot. This increase in pene¬
trating power gives the cinematographer
a lighting tool with which he can pro¬
duce streak lighting, shadow detail, pene¬
trate the deepest of sets, boost high lev¬
els of daylight or create a “one source”
lighting effect even when the general set
light levels are high. By operating at
full flood position he can cover areas
with the one lamp.
Fortunately this 100 per cent increase
in light output was obtained with only
50 per cent increase in current. The
Type 450 unit opei’ates with a 16mmx22"
super high intensity positive MP studio
carbon and a 17/32"x9" cored Orotip
negative carbon burning at 225 amperes
and 75 arc volts, whereas the Type 170
lamp burns a 16mmx20" MP studio posi¬
tive carbon and a l/2"x8!4" MP studio
negative carbon at 150 amperes and 67
arc volts.
The newly designed Fresnel type con¬
denser lens on the Type 450 lamp has a
curved surface and is of 24" diameter
which gives it a greater light pick-up
angle than the 20" diameter flat surface
condenser of the Type 170. The main ad¬
vantage of the larger diameter curved
surface condenser is that it provides for
a greater arc-to-condenser distance at
various beam divergencies, thereby min¬
imizing the danger of condenser break¬
age from the increased heat.
The Type 450 lamp head is not just
a modification of the Type 170. The
100% light increase and 50% current
increase created problems of heat trans¬
fer and ventilation requiring a radical
departure from the conventional rotating
high intensity lamp design.
The arc control motor, motor rheostat,
arc switch and pin plugs were all re¬
moved from the heat of the body of the
unit and located in a separate compart¬
ment on the rear lamp casting. Ir.as-
By PETER MOLE
The faster the film the more light the
cinematographer uses. Although a para¬
dox that statement is essentially true. A
clearer statement would be to the effect
that as better tools become available, the
cinematographer uses them to improve
his work. With an increase in film
speed he may use half the light or he
may double the amount. His goal is dra¬
matic effect and he does it with light. A
study of the advances in cinematography
during the past ten years will more than
justify his position.
The new Mole-Richardson Type 450
carbon arc lamp was designed and built
as a result of the insistent demand from
cinematographers for a light source with
twice the intensity of the present Type
170 M-R Hi-Arc. The type of carbon
trim, current, voltage, and optical system
were all chosen or designed with the re¬
quirements set forth by the cinematog¬
raphers themselves as a goal.
Fig. 1 illustrates how these require¬
ments were met. With a 48° beam
spread, which is approximately full flood,
the Type 450 gives exactly double the
lumens of the Type 170. With 12° beam
A New Super High intensity
Carbon Arc Lamp
THE M-R "BRUTE”
438
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
much as the balance of the carbon feed¬
ing mechanism is mounted on the front
of this same casting, the whole forms an
integral unit which may easily be re¬
moved for servicing.
By these changes in design it was pos¬
sible to build a lamp head, capable of
continuous operation at 225 amperes,
with no increase in length, only 4" in¬
crease in diameter and slight increase in
weight over the Type 170.
The color quality of the light from
the Type 450 is essentially the same as
from the Type 170 and when used for
daylight balance, as in shooting color,
the unit should be equipped with a Y-l
filter.
A number of the Type 450 lamps have
been completed and are now undergoing
a production test routine in the studios.
Any additional knowledge gained from
this preliminary work will be incorpo¬
rated into the final design which will be
set for production in the near future.
In order to receive the most benefit
from this production work Directors of
Photography and A.S.C. members who
are using the new Type 450s are being
interviewed. Some of their comments
are paraphrased as follows:
John W. Boyle: “We used the 450 on
a Cinecoloi picture at Hal Roach. We
were on a theatre set and wanted a shot
of the audience from the stage with a
light level to indicate that the theatre
was well illuminated. We set the 450 on
the stage and adjusted the beam spread
to cover an audience of about one hun¬
dred and fifty people. With the use of
scrim we were able to control the light
intensity from foreground to back¬
ground.”
“What other lamps were used?”
“We used a few lights here and there
for balance, but the main source of light
was from the 450. In that particular
shot the 450 replaced several other lamps
because of its ability to carry from the
stage to the back row of seats.”
Wilfrid Cline: “We used the 450 on a
Technicolor dance number at Warner
Brothers. It is an excellent source as
a main front light unit when operated
at full flood position. We adapted a set
of Venetian blinds to it and were able
to dim it in that manner.
“A most interesting use, however, was
for a special effect we were after and
were able to accomplish because of the
450. We wished to project a 20-foot di-
amater star pattern onto the floor with
sufficient intensity to overcome the gen¬
eral set level and to enhance the effect
by gradually dimming the light around
the star pattern. We hung the 450 about
30 feet above the set pointing straight
down. A few feet below the lamp we
hung a board with the star shape
through it. The effect was perfect.”
“Did you try a Type 170 for that ef¬
fect?”
“Yes, we did, but it was not powerful
enough.”
NOTE: Fig. 2 shows that the Type
450 will deliver three times as much
light as a Type 170 in a 20-foot diameter
circle at 30 feet distance.
Sol Polito: “We wanted a lamp for a
particularly large set to be shot with
black and white film at RKO-Pathe Stu¬
dios. It covered the entire area of stage
15, and we shot from the adjacent stage
14. There was considerable open area in
the foreground with few characters and
a lone wagon. The problem was to find
a single source of sufficient penetrating
power and light volume with which to
illuminate the entire area in order to
obtain single shadows. The 450, ad¬
justed to full flood position, was placed
about 30 feet and 50 to 60 feet from the
action. It did the job in fine shape.”
“You used other lamps, of course?”
“Yes, for fill light, balance, behind
windows, etc., but the main source of
illumination was the 450. It produced
just the effect we were after. In fact
we had to use scrim in certain areas to
cut down the light.”
“Would you say that most of the pho¬
tographic light came from the 450?”
“Yes, it did in this particular shot. As
a matter of fact when you light that
lamp everything else seems to be out.”
Ray Rennehan: “We are using the 450
on a current Technicolor picture at Para¬
mount. On certain shots it provides the
main body of front illumination. It is
possible to cover an area with the 450
and build up to it with the other sources
in a more satisfactory manner than if
we used a source of lesser power. This
is particularly true if a one-source effect
is desired.
“The need for a more powerful lamp
has long been recognized. This does not
indicate that more overall light is re¬
quired than is available at the present
time. As a matter of fact, it could mean
that in certain cases the power used for
a given shot may be less because of the
wider latitude of lighting media.”
The Type 450 lamp is not expected to
revolutionize the art of cinematography.
It is a new and more powerful tool with
which to make better pictures. Its in¬
creased power may mean double the light
on the set, and it may mean half of the
light. In either case it is a small factor.
The picture is the thing.
fiq. 2. Typical curves showinq illumination at center of 20-foot diameter*
Fig. ). Chart indicatinq relative illumination characteristics of MR-type 450 spot at various distances from MR type 450 lamp burninq the 16mm. super
ll. I. studio positive at 225 amperes, and, MR type 170 lamp burning the
lamp burning the 16mm. super H.l. studio positive at 225 amperes, and the 16mm. H. I. studio positive at 150 amperes.
* The diameter of the spot is defined as the diameter at which the illumina-
MR-type 170 lamp burninq the 16mm. H.l. studio positive at 150 amperes. tion is 10% of the maximum illumination present at the center of the spot.
American Cinematographer ® December, 1946
439
THE LATE DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, SR. AND RALPH STAUB, A.S.C.
CAMERA AND TRIPOD
ON HIS SHOULDER
By HAL HERMAN
WITH movie making now advanced
to the point where a throng of
technical specialists is on hand
to supervise every fine detail of produc¬
tion, the experiences of Ralph Staub who
has often been called a “one man produc¬
tion company” because of his operations
in the short subject field are both inter¬
esting and refreshing.
Beginning as an eager young camera
assistant at the age of 16 with Ruth
Roland more than 30 years ago, Staub
has parlayed his enthusiasm, diplomacy,
'and resourcefulness into a highly suc¬
cessful career. Also, he has encoun¬
tered just about every type of problem
it is possible for a cameraman to run
into.
He’s spent about fifteen of those
years in his present post turning out
the popular “Screen Snapshot” reels
for Columbia Studios. Altogether, he
has made 614 one- and two-reel shorts
covering every conceivable subject
from snow covered Mt. McKinley, in
Alaska, to the activities of Hollywood
celebrities, racing thrills, symphony
concerts on the desei*t, and Mack Sen-
nett comedies.
In his comfortable office at Colum¬
bia, Staub is able to plan his work for
the future with first hand knowledge of
changing trends in the short subject
medium in which he has so long had
a hand. Also, today, he has the assist¬
ance of a full technical and produc¬
tion crew whenever he needs it.
“But it wasn’t always like this,”
Staub explains. “In the early days I
had to do everything myself. In addition
to shooting the camera, I was also my
own writer, director, location manager,
prop man, makeup artist and wardrobe
man.
“There were times,” he admits with
a grin, “when I wished that I were
quadruplets. But somehow, by impro¬
vising and using a lot of persuasion,
drafting the help of chauffeurs, bell¬
hops, waiters or anyone else I could
find, the job was done.”
The experiences which Stau!b has
lived through since he first slung an
ancient Leonard A-l camera (later de¬
veloped into the Mitchell) over his
shoulder in 1923 and started out to
make movies on his own, would make
a fascinating book — if he ever took
time out to write it. It would provide
numerous worthwhile tips to any cam¬
eraman planning to shoot newsreel type
shorts on current events, prominent
personalities or even travelogues.
Naturally, Staub agrees, the modern,
skilled technical men now at his dis¬
posal do make his work in filming'
short subjects easier and faster than it
was in the past. But there was a chal¬
lenge in making those early day shorts
almost alone which kept his job al¬
ways interesting and exciting.
“In those days,” the veteran camera¬
man-producer recalls, “I never knew
what situation I might run into when
I started out on a job alone. I often
worked on a rather limited budget and
had to shoot a reel that was interesting*
and entertaining— and still get it fast.
“I remember the time I went out to
shoot some footage on the late Jean
Harlow, who was one of my favorites
and a grand person to work with. She
had just finished doing “Hell’s Angels”
when I called and made the appoint¬
ment. I arrived at her home with my
camera, reflectors, props and a lot of
other equipment, and we promptly went
into a huddle to figure out the action
for the scene.
“Before we were through we had
dreamed up a rain sequence which, to¬
day, would require a crew of twenty
to shoot. I had to improvise and do it
alone.
“The action called for Miss Harlow
to step out the front door of her house
and snap open an umbrella aS she
started down the walk. Each time she
stepped outdoors it would start to rain.
And when she opened the umbrella, the
rain, for comedy effect, would stop.”
To shoot the scene Staub propped
his reflectors in place on the lawn.
440
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
gave Jean’s chauffeur a five minute
course in cranking the camera (yes,
they cranked ’em in those days) and
himself handled the tricky business of
turning the rain on and off by bending
and releasing a length of rubber garden
hose attached to a nearby hydrant.
“Not much of a setup, I’ll admit,”
Staub confesses today, “but that scene
turned out okay. It was good for plenty
of laughs when it hit the theaters,
Improvising enabled me to get it with¬
out a lot of dela^y and expense.”
During the years he has devoted to
filming informal reels on screen stai's
at work and play, in and out of the
studios, Staub has found that diplo¬
macy and the ability to get along with
people pays a huge dividend.
“You’ve simply got to be tactful,”
Staub contends. “And if you make your
reels novel and refreshing enough to
interest your subjects as well as the
prospective audience, you’ll find them
a lot more cooperative. It’s important,
too, to get your scenes quickly and with
as little fuss and bother as possible.”
Although he has worked through the
years with nearly every big name star
in Hollywood, it is a well known fact
that Staub has never worn out his wel¬
come. That is a record of which he is
justly proud.
“I always plan my shooting in order
to save the stars’ time and make it as
easy for them as I can. On several
occasions I’ve even called in the play¬
ers’ favorite makeup men or hairdress¬
ers — so they would be confident of look¬
ing their best for the camera,” he
added.
“When I promised a couple of the
stars, Marlene Dietrich and Jack Ben¬
ny, that they could see the completed
reels in which they had appeared, I
made Very sure that they did view it
before release.”
Such consideration of his principals,
whether they were film stars or sports
or political figures, Staub says, has en¬
abled him to build a lot of good will
and keep these personalities ready to
work for him again in the future.
Among the more than 600 subjects
which Staub has shot or supervised, or
both, are reels on swank movie affairs,
parties at the Cocoanut Grove, bathing-
beauty parades at the Ambassador Lido
Pool and Palm Springs, floor shows
and glamor girls at filmtown night
spots, the bicycle races and more re¬
cently the Sidney Skolsky party at
Schwabs Drug Store and a birthday
party for a horse given by cowboy
comic, Smiley Burnette.
Staub is credited with being the first
cameraman to shoot a Hollywood news¬
reel type of short on a studio stage.
That was in 1924 when he was filming
a reel titled “How Movies Are Made.”
He shot on the set, right beside the
regular production camera and enjoyed
the fullest cooperation of cinematogra¬
phers and such name directors as Frank
Capra, Cecil B. DeMille, A1 Green and
Michael Curtiz.
Providing an intimate, behind-the-
scenes glimpse of their screen favorites
at work, the reel proved highly popular
with theater-goers. Staub secured the
footage largely through his diplomatic
approach and presentation of his ideas
to the directors and stars concerned.
They knew in advance just what he
wanted and why he wanted it.
“A long time ago,” Staub continued,
“when Richard Barthelmess was at work-
on ‘The Patent Leather Kid’ (1925) I
decided to make a short reel of action
scenes showing him in training for fight
sequences in the film. I thought the
novelty of a screen favorite slugging it
out with a professional boxer would be
different and interesting.”
Staub went over to the outdoor ring
where Barthelmess was sparring with
his trainer, Nate Slott, and made a few
long and medium shots to start with.
Then he ran into the problem of trying
to get some important closeups of the
action. This was in the days before huge
camera cranes were generally available.
“In order to film a number of close-
ups in which gloves and arms would
smash close past the camera lens,”
Staub said, “I had to resort to more
improvising. “I built a special rack
fastened to my shoulders with straps,
which held -the camera firmly in place
as I moved about the ring. By stopping
the lens down in bright sunlight I was
able to move smoothly in from medium
shots to closeups of faces and gloves
with good effect — and still keep them in
sharp focus. The arrangement enabled
me to add a few zoom and dolly shots—
all on foot. The effect on the screen was
startling— in consideration of the way
it was filmed, and not at all jumpy as I
had feared.”
An entirely different problem ai-ose
while Staub was filming a few scenes
of the late Carole Lombard at her
home. This time he drafted the star’s
mother, Mrs. Peters, to hold the reflec¬
tors serving as a backlight and had a
butler pull him along the sidewalk in a
small boy’s wagon for a dolly shot. A
few days later at the home of Lois
Wilson, then at the height of her fame,
he borrowed the star’s dresser mirror,
to replace a missing reflector, and used
a couple of old lace curtains as a scrim
to soften the shadows on Miss Wilson’s
face in a garden scene. Of course he
was directing and shooting these scenes
as well as dreaming up the script and
doing his own prop work for the occa¬
sion.
Many years later Staub directed Phil
Regan in a Technicolor picture, “Ro¬
mance of the West,” for Warner Broth¬
ers. Hei'e he ran into another situation
which his past experience as a “one
man operator” helped solve. He was
trying to get a scene at the foot of a
huge falls in Yosemite National Park.
The spray from the falling water kept
fogging the lens. Shooting was stopped
cold and the company faced with an
expensive delay. Finally Staub rigged
up a piece of plain window glass in
front of the camera and poured a con¬
tinuous stream of water over the glass
to kill the spray. With this improvised
setup the scenes were filmed in short
(Continued on Page 462)
"Keystone Hotel," produced and directed by Staub for Warner Brothers.
The late Jean Harlow as she appeared in a Screen Snapshots clip for Staub.
American Cinematographer • December, 1946
441
DR. WILBUR
B. RAYTON
PASSES
Outstanding Optical
Engineer
DR. WILBUR B. RAYTON
Dr. Wilbur B. Rayton, A.S.C., direc¬
tor of the scientific bureau of Bausch &
Lomb Optical Company and one of the
foremost optical engineers of the nation,
died suddenly in San Francisco on Oc¬
tober 31st, while on a business trip to
California. A week before his death, Dr.
Rayton delivered a paper, “A New Series
of Camera Lenses for 16mm. Cinema¬
tography,” at the convention of Society
of Motion Picture Engineers, and re¬
mained in Hollywood to be guest speaker
at the clubhouse of American Society of
Cinematographers on October 28th to de¬
liver a talk on “New Developments in
Motion Picture Lenses.”
A member of the Bausch and Lomb
firm since 1908, Dr. Rayton was ap¬
pointed head of the scientific bureau in
1926. Only two months ago, he received
the Navy Ordnance Development Award
for “distinguished service to research
and development of gunfire control equip¬
ment” during World War II.
Dr. Rayton was one of the recognized
authorities on motion picture optical en¬
gineering and development, and widely
known in the film industry for his most
important contributions on development
of lenses and practices for nearly 40
years. His collaboration in the develop¬
ment of such items as the range-finder,
multiplex mapping equipment, height-
finders, the Keratometer (for measuring
Corneal Astigmatism), microscopes, Or-
thogon (spectacle) lenses, aviator gog¬
gles with corrected lenses, etc., are nu¬
merous.
In the field of photography, some of
his outstanding contributions include:
Raytar lens series of motion picture
photographic lenses; Baltar series of
35mm. motion picture photographic
lenses; super-Cinephor series of motion
picture lenses (both coated and uncoat¬
ed) ; 20mm. f : 1.5 lens for 16mm. cam¬
eras; 50mm. f : 1.6 projection lens; aerial
camera lens, including the famous Metro-
gon six-inch lens used by the U. S. Army
and Navy for aerial reconnaisance — also
the 24-inch f:60 Tessar lens; astronomi¬
cal photographic lenses, some in use in
the Mount Wilson Observatory; 40-inch,
long-focal length telephoto lens.
Wide angle lens attachment for ama¬
teur motion picture cameras; a series
of X-ray lenses, f:2.0 and f : 1.5 ; designer
of a condenser system used in wide field
film projection; polarizing photometer
for measuring light intensity and den¬
sity (this has had wide application for
sound track on motion picture film) ; the
densitometer; and introduction of the
first anastigmatic lens for motion picture
projection. All of the above inventions
and applications are credited to Dr. Ray¬
ton by Bausch & Lomb as among his
more important contributions to optical
science and industry.
Dr. Rayton, 61, was born in Rochester
and attended Brockport Normal and Li¬
vonia high school prior to entering Syra¬
cuse University in 1901. Upon graduat¬
ing from the latter with an A. B. de¬
gree, he taught physics in high schools
for a few years prior to joining Bausch
& Lomb in 1908. As a member of the
Scientific Bureau of the company, which
he headed for the past two decades, his
accomplishments were many in contrib¬
uting to the optical advancement of mo¬
tion picture technique.
In 1933, he was awarded an honorary
degree of doctor of science by University
of Rochester; and the same honor was
bestowed on him by Syracuse University
in 1942. During the early stages of
World War II, he worked closely with
Maj. Gen. George W. Goddard, Army Air
Corps photographic section, on an aerial
lens designed to take 18 inch negatives
that made possible the mapping of enemy
terrain and entrenchments from photos
snapped at heights of four miles.
For many years, Dr. Rayton was an
associate member of American Society
of Cinematographers; and was a Fellow
Member of Society of Motion Picture En¬
gineers. Other memberships included
the Optical Society of America, Ameri¬
can Association for the Advancement of
Science, Photographic Society, and Amer¬
ican Society of Photogrammetry. He is
survived by his widow, a son and a
daughter.
442
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
* Patent No. 2318910 — Trade
Mark Reg. U. S. Patent Office.
Acclaimed the finest for every picture taking use
The friction type head which is unconditionally guaranteed for 5 years, gives
super-smooth 360 pan and 80L tilt action. It is removable, can be easily mounted
on our "Hi-Hat" low base adaptor or Baby "Professional Junior" Tripod base. The
large pin and trunnion assures long, dependable service. A spirit level is built in.
The top-plate can be set for 16 mm. E. K. Cine Special, with or without motor;
35 mm. DeVry and B & H Eyemo (with motor), and with or without alignment
gauge. Also handles "view" still cameras.
The standard size tripod base is sturdy. "Spread-leg" design affords utmost rigidity
and quick, positive height adjustments. Complete tripod weighs 1 3 f/2 lbs. Low
height, at normal leg spread, 42". Extended height 72". Legs are non-warping
wood: have metal spur feet.
Adaptability: here are illustrated (I) the friction type removable "Professional Junior" tripod
head that may be affixed to (2) the Standard Tripod Legs Base and (3) the "Hi-Hat" (Low
Base Adaptor) and (4) the new all-metal "Baby" tripod by simply fastening the finger-grip
head fastening nut that is shown under it. Note the positive-locking, fluted, height-adjustment
knobs and tie-down rings of the Standard Tripod Base which is standing on a Triangle.
Triangles prevent slipping on or marring of polished floors.
The new "Professional Junior"
Baby Tripod, shown ready for the
Removable Head, weighs 5'/2 lbs.,
is made of Aluminum, with Dural
legs having spurs. Extended height
— 21 inches, depressed — 16 inches.
It's compact and sturdy. Quality
throughout.
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Cinema Workshop
(Continued from Page 444)
trast between the light and shade areas
of the composition. This contrast is es¬
pecially unflattering in close-ups of per¬
sons. In order to soften the harsh effect
and fill in the shadow areas, we use
simple reflectors that can be easily con¬
structed by pasting squares of silver
or gold foil onto plywood flats.
Correctly used, these reflectors impart
a professional finish to the film — but if
over-used, they may cancel out shadow
areas almost completely, creating a flat
and undramatic result. Be careful to use
your reflectors intelligently, since it takes
a certain amount of soft shadow to
give a pleasant modeling to faces.
There are two kinds of reflector sur¬
faces: the hard variety (silver), and the
soft (gold). Soft reflectors give a nice
smooth quality in close-ups, but should
not be used in color cinematography,
since they reflect an unusually warm
color of light.
Closely allied to reflectors in useful¬
ness to the cameraman are scrims of
gauze netting which are helpful in dif¬
fusing sunlight when it falls too harshly
upon faces in close-ups. These scrims,
either single or double depending upon
the amount of diffusion desired, are sus¬
pended out of camera range, between the
sun and the subject, and function to
break up and soften the harsh direct
rays of the sun.
Often unwanted reflections from some
surface such as a white wall, etc., may
cause your subject to squint. This glare
can be softened in many cases by plac¬
ing a gobo (black square of wood or ply-
boaid) between the subject and the of¬
fending surface.
For diffusing close-ups a diffusion disc
is very helpful — but a layer or two of
gauze net placed before the lens will
give almost the same effect. In using-
net as a diffuser, be careful that it is
well-shielded, as sunlight falling direct¬
ly upon it will cause flare. Also, be sure
that the net is placed as close to the
lens as possible; otherwise the criss¬
cross pattern of the cloth may come into
focus just sharply enough to be notice¬
able.
*
Motion Picture Composition
Volumes can, and perhaps should, be
written on the subject of composition
in motion pictures. We cannot hope in
this small space to discuss the subject
at great length, but feel it necessary to
present a few basic rules for making
your screen compositions more effec¬
tive.
Firstly, we must not think of cinema
composition as the static thing it is in
still photography. Screen composition
is fluid and ever-changing; therefoi-e, it
requires a more precise, more versatile
kind of planning in order to insure vis¬
ual patterns that will remain interest¬
ing throughout the action of an entire
sequence.
But aside from adding interest to the
visual presentation of the story, the
function of effective composition is to
lead the eye directly to the most impor¬
tant point in tin sc-me. For this reason,
action should be so staged that the lines
of the sefting in which it is played will
lead to the areas of greatest dramatic
importance.
A closed composition is one which is
framed on all sides (by trees, etc.) in
such a way as to prevent the eye from
straying from the focal point of action.
This kind of foreground framing, be¬
sides aiding dramatically is also effective
pictorially in lending depth to the scene.
In the case of a pan or dolly shot, al¬
ways plan in advance your separate com¬
positions for each camera stop, then plot
in the camera movement that will tie
these separate compositions together. As
for movement within the scene, it is a
basic tenet that lines of action leading-
straight across the screen are less po¬
tent dramatically than those originating
near one of the corners of the frame
and leading into it diagonally. A line of
action or static design leading into the
pattern from the lower left hand corner
of the screen is considered to be the
strongest single line of composition.
Similarly, it is undramatic to divide
your frame in half either horizontally
or vertically by any compositional line
(such as a tree or the horizon). By
mentally dividing your scene into thirds
both ways, and placing your focal point
of interest at any of the intersections
of these imaginary lines, you will evolve
a composition that is much more effec¬
tive than one that is divided into halves.
Shooting Snow Scenes
In shooting snow exteriors, the pri¬
mary problem is to cut down the extreme
brightness contrast ratio between the
white snow and the shadow areas. This
problem of reducing harsh contrast also
applies to desert and seascapes.
In the case of snow in bright sunlight,
the brightness contrast of the scene is
tremendous. Add to this the substantial
amount of light reflected from the white
surface, and you have a good deal of
light to contend with.
Various filters and filter combinations
have been worked out to soften snow
scenes so that they do not “burn up”
on the screen. We shall discuss a few
of these filters and their effects.
3 N 5 (a combination of Aero 1 and
50# Neutral Density filters) gives a
light color correctness to the sky with¬
out increasing contrast of the remainder
of the scene.
5 N 5 (a combination of Aero 2 and
50# Neutral Density filters) — gives
medium sky correction without excessive
contrast. It has the same basic action as
3 N 5, but with added detail. It is used
to soften strong glare and contrast in
snow scenes having heavy shadows.
X2 and 23A filters super-imposed.
This combination darkens skies and pro¬
duces a pleasant softness that cuts con¬
trast between snow and shadow.
If any errors must be made in ex¬
posing snow scenes, they should prefer¬
ably be made toward the underexposed
side of the scale.
We have discussed the basic problems
of exterior shooting. We are now ready
to go into detail on the subject of in¬
terior lighting.
NEXT ISSUE: PART YU— Standard
Set Lighting.
TRAVELLING SHOT. Katha rine Hepburn takes a walk alonq railroad station platform for scene in Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer's "Sea of Grass." Director of Cinematoqraphy Harry Stradlinq, A.S.C. (standinq in left
foreground behind camera), closely follows the action. Camera boom on travellinq dolly, booster lights
and microphone setup typifies this type of shot.
446
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
The Cinema
Workshop
(For Semi-Professional and Amateur Production)
6. Exterior Shooting
By CHARLES LORING
THE problems encountered in the
shooting of an exterior motion pic¬
ture sequence arise, parodoxically
enough, from the rather over-abundant
generosity of Nature. That is to say, our
main concern in outdoor filming is not
so much to secure the basically neces¬
sary photographic elements (light, back¬
grounds, etc.), but to control these ele¬
ments that have been so lavishly placed
at our disposal.
In modern professional practice, a
substantial amount of exterior sequences
are shot inside sound stages because of
the firmer control the technician can
exercise over the mechanical factors of
photography. However, for the semi-
professional producer, the outdoors of¬
fers an infinite number of perfect
photographic backgrounds, a strong and
constant source of light, and infinite
room in which to stage action and place
equipment.
Ways and means of controlling these
elements are basic, and once learned,
can be followed consistently with good
results. Taking for granted that the
reader knows these fundamental tech¬
niques, we shall discuss some of the
finer points of photography necessary to
the filming of exterior sequences.
The Basis of Exposure
Granted that there are many factors
that influence the overall excellence of
exterior cinematography, it can be said
with emphasis that the most important
single influence on general quality is
correct exposure. Even with present-day
wide-latitude emulsions and modern
methods of processing geared to com¬
pensate for faulty exposure, the fact
remains that a perfect scene results
only when the exposure has been calcu¬
lated “on the nose.”
In order to achieve this result, the
cameraman must consider, not only the
mechanical requirements of his scene,
but the particular kind of processing
which will be given his film after expo¬
sure. For this reason, he will be wise to
run tests at standard exposures and
send them off to the lab for processing
in order to find out what is the standard
of development for that particular lab.
No two laboratories process film in ex¬
actly the same way, and the cameraman
must make inquiries in order to adjust
his exposure techniques (as well as his
own evaluation of the film’s speed) to
the particular lab that is processing his
film.
A good many novice cameramen have
asked the question: “What do you ex-,
pose for in the scene?” — and they seem
intent upon finding a rule to follow.
Obviously, no one rule could possibly
cover every situation, but in general we
can say that you expose for the most
important element in your scene. An¬
other rule that is an old standby of
cameramen is: Expose for your shad¬
ows and let the highlights take care of
themselves.
Actually, neither of these rules of
thumb should be taken too literally — nor
do they apply in every case. Your basic
problem (within the latitude of the
film) is to expose in such a way that
the light areas are not overexposed and
the dark areas are not imderexposed.
This depends partially on careful selec¬
tion of your film emulsion, but even
more so upon your control of the amount
of light that reaches the film.
Very often, in using high-speed films,
you will find that even at the smallest
lens opening the scene will be over¬
exposed. In this case, there are two
ways of cutting down your exposure.
One way is to use neutral density fil¬
ters, flats of optically ground grey glass
that absorb all colors in equal relative
proportion. The other alternative is to
cut down your shutter angle. Most
35mm. professional cameras and a few
16mm. jobs (such as the Cine Kodak
Special and the Bolex) have variable
shutters to accomplish this.
Using the Exposure Meter
There is more to using an exposure
meter than merely pointing it at the
scene to be filmed. Many cameramen do
just that, and then wonder why their
exposure is so far off.
Firstly, you must decide what ele¬
ments of the scene you are principally
exposing for. When people appear in
the composition, obviously you must bp
mainly conceimed with the rendition of
skin tones. Therefore, your principal
reading should be taken just a few
inches from the character’s face. Other
readings, taken from camera position
etc., should be balanced to favor this
principal reading.
Secondly, a meter usually “sees” a
wider angle than that encompassed by
the camera lens. Therefore, it is neces¬
sary to take most of your readings
from a spot closer in than camera po¬
sition.
On this same subject, it should be
pointed out that skies are especially
misleading when you are taking a read¬
ing. They are usually overly-bright in
relation to fhe rest of the scene, and
will tend to boost your reading higher
than it should be for exposing the ac¬
tual subject. For this reason, it is wise
to tilt your meter downward a bit (at
about a 30° angle) in order that your
reading will cover mere foreground and
less sky background.
Every cameraman knows how impor¬
tant it is to use a good sunshade over
his lens in order to prevent strong light
from causing flare. The element of an
exposure meter is similarly affected
when scattered rays of light fall upon
its unshaded surface, causing a decep¬
tively bright reading of the scene.
Therefore it is wise to shade your meter
element either with your hand, or with
a home-made cardboard shade in order
to achieve a more faithful reading.
The Use of Filters
Filters have three primary purposes:
a. To correct the rendition of certain
colors, b. To cut down the amount of
light reaching the film, and c. To pro¬
duce special effects. In any event, filters
should not be used just for the sake of
using them, but always with a specific
purpose in mind«
Firstly, we use filters to correct cer¬
tain color tones, notably to darken skies
and water and thus keep them from
“burning up” the composition. Yellow
and orange filters, used in this way, add
a certain richness to exterior sequences
and provide a pictorial contrast between
flesh tones and the sky. Red filters,
overcorrecting blue tones, darken the
sky dramatically, but must be used very
carefully, as they tend to “wash out”
skin tones unless special make-up is
used.
The second function, that of cutting
down exposure, is achieved, as we have
pointed out, through the use of neutral
density filters. These filters are avail¬
able in varying densities from 25% to
200%. They also tend to flatten out con¬
trast to a greater or lesser degree de¬
pending upon the density of filter used.
The third function of filters, that of
producing special effects, is used in sim¬
ulating night effects outdoors in day¬
light, and in fantasy films for creating
weird dream sequences, etc. For night
effects, the red filters (23A, 25A, 29F,
70, and 72) are most widely used. For
softer night effects in sunlight, a com¬
bination of 50B with 23A is quite ef¬
fective. For the fantasy effects men¬
tioned 25A, 29F, 70, 72, and 88A fil¬
ters are used with infra-red film.
The Use of Reflectors
In outdoor filming, especially in bright
sunlight, there is a naturally harsh con-
(Continued on Page 446)
444
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
For Outstanding Photography
Nominations for 1946
ACADEMY AWARDS
Black and White
and
Color Photography
will undoubtedly again
strongly emphasize
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Membership Roll of
RESIDENT MEMBERS
L. B. Abbott
David Abel
John Alton
Wesley Anderson
Lucien Andriot
Arthur Arling
John Arnold
Jerome H. Ash
Joseph August
Lucien Ballard
George Barnes
R. 0. Binger
Charles P. Boyle
John W. Boyle
Elwood Bredell
Norbert Brodine
James S. Brown, Jr.
Robert Burks
Walter Castle
Philip Chancellor
Dan B. Clark
Charles G. Clarke
Wilfrid Cline
Russell Codings
Stanley Cortez
Ray Cory
Edward Cronjager
John Crouse
Floyd Crosby
Russell A. Cully
Wm. H. Daniels
Mark Davis
Faxon Dean
Robert deGrasse
Clyde DeVinna
Wm. H. Dietz
E. B. DuPar
Max B. DuPont
Elmer Dyer
Paul E. Eagler
Arthur Edeson
A. Farciot Edouart
Max Fabian
Daniel L. Fapp
Vincent Farrar
Ray Fernstrom
Frank Finger
Rolla Flora
George J. Folsey, Jr.
Ray Foster
Henry Freulich
Karl Freund
John P. Fulton
Glen Gano
Lee Garmes
Gaetano Gaudio
Merritt B. Gerstad
James Gordon
Alfred L. Gilks
W. Howard Greene
Jack Greenhalgh
Loyal Griggs
Burnett Guffey
Carl Guthrie
Harry Hallenberger
Ernest Haller
Sol Halperin
Edwin Hammeraas
Ralph Hammeras
Russell Harlan
Byron Haskin
Sid Hickox
Winton Hoch
David S. Horsley
James Wong Howe
Roy Hunt
Allan E. Irving
Paul Ivano
Fred H. Jackman, Jr.
Fred W. Jackman
Harry A. Jackson
H. Gordon Jennings
J. Devereux Jennings
Ray June
the American Society
W. Wallace Kelley
Glenn Kershner
Benj. H. Kline
Lloyd Knechtel
H. F. Koenekamp
Milton Krasner
Charles B. Lang, Jr.
Joe LaShelle
Ernest Laszlo
Charles C. Lawton, Jr.
Paul K. Lerpae
Marcel LePicard
Lionel Lindon
Harold Lipstein
Arthur Lloyd
Walter Lundin
Warren E. Lynch
Joe MacDonald
Jack MacKenzie
Glen MacWilliams
Fred Mandl
J. Peverell Marley
Charles A. Marshall
Harold J. Marzorati
Rudolph Mate
Ted McCord
George B. Meehan, Jr.
Wm. C. Mellor
John J. Mescall
R. L. Metty
Arthur Miller
Virgil Miller
Victor Milner
Hal Mohr
Ira H. Morgan
Nick Musuraca
Harry C. Neumann
L. Wm. O’Connell
Roy Overbaugh
Ernest Palmer
Harry Perry
Gus C. Peterson
R. W. Pittack
Robert H. Planck
Franz Planer
Sol Polito
Gordon B. Pollock
Frank Redman
Ray Rennahan
Irving Ries
Irmin Roberts
George H. Robinson
Len H. Roos
Jackson Rose
Charles Rosher
Harold Rosson
Joseph Ruttenberg
Chas. Salerno, Jr.
George Schneiderman
Charles Schoenbaum
John Seitz
Leon Shamroy
Henry Sharp
William A. Sickner
Allen Siegler
Wm. V. Skall
Jack Smith
Leonard Smith
Edward Snyder
Wm. E. Snyder
Ralph Staub
Mack Stengler
Archie J. Stout
Clifford Stine
Harry Stradling
Walter Strenge
Karl Struss
Robert L. Surtees
Philip Tannura
J. O. Taylor
Ted Tetzlaff
Stuart Thompson
Robert Tobey
Gregg Toland
Leo Tover
of Cinematographers
Thomas Tutwiler
Joseph Valentine
James C. Van Trees
Paul C. Vogel
Sidney Wagner
Joseph Walker
Vernon Walker
Gilbert Warrenton
Albert Wetzel
Lester White
Harry Wild
Wm. N. Williams
Rex Wimpy
Frank Young
NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS
Charles E. Bell
Georges Benoit
O. H. Borradaile
J. Burgi Contner
Norman Dawn
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Frank L. Follette
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Leo Lipp
Don Malkames
Louis Page
Paul Perry
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Bob Roberts
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Prasart Sukhum
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Frank C. Zucker
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Simeon Aller
Edger Bergen
Louis A. Bonn
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George Crane
Edward P. Curtis
Ralph Famham
Fred W. Gage
A. J. Guerin
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Dr. C. E. K. Mees
Lewis L. Mellor
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Peter L. Shamray
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PAST MEMBERS
John T. Hickson
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HONORARY MEMBERS
E. 0. Blackburn
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Lt. Colonel David MacDonald
G. A. Mitchell
MEMBERS IN THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES
Lt. Dewey Wrigley
448
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
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Alan Stensvold, S.S.C
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AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS
Chicago Cinematographers
Chicago Cinematographers resumed
regular monthly dinner meetings on
evening of October 1st at Chicago Union
Station. After a turkey dinner, a 16mm.
Anscocolor travelogue, “West On Thir¬
ty,” by member R. C. Snyder, was shown.
A1 Rus took charge of the meeting as
president for the coming year; with
Arthur Josephson functioning as vice
president, and Earnest M. Lundgren as
secretary-treasurer. New board members
elected in June for two year terms in¬
clude Robert Pennypacker and Jerome
S. Franks.
For the November 5th meeting, Art
Silha presented his 8mm. color subject
of 50 minutes, “Just Browsing Around.”
Seattle Amateur
Seattle Amateur Movie Club has com¬
pleted plans for a club production to be
made under title of “Let’s Make A
Movie.” With story plans set, Anchor
Jensen was voted to function as pro¬
ducer, with Charles Grinnell in charge
of photography. Aubrey Widson and
Ralph Lund will assist the director,
while Erwin Miller and Walter Man-
kowski will function as assistants on the
camera. Clyde Huntley was selected to
handle the starring role in the work¬
shop production, which will be completed
in time for the annual Salon Show in
February.
Meeting of November 12th featured a
repeat showing of “Meshes of the After¬
noon,” and balance of program consisted
of screening of member films for con¬
structive criticism.
Alhambra La Casa
John H. Clay was chairman of the
November 18th meeting of La Casa
Movie Club of Alhambra, Calif., which
was held in YMCA building. Continu¬
ance of the 1946 vacation pictures by
members highlighted the film program
in 16mm. Clay presented his “Grand
Tetons and Yellowstone,” Irwin K. Ken¬
dall exhibited his films taken in San
Diego, and C. K. LeFiell showed motion
picture results of his trip through Cen¬
tral and South America.
St. Louis Amateur
Actual demonstration of use of lights
for interior lighting was presented at
the November 12th meeting of Amateur
Motion Picture Club of St. Louis, held
in the Roosevelt hotel. Lights were set
up in different ways, and then films were
projected to show the specific results.
Film program of the evening included:
“Hawaii,” by Ira Hicks, and F. E. Gun¬
nell’s 1945 Award winner, “While the
Earth Remaineth.”
New York Metropolitan
An extensive film program entertained
members of Metropolitan Motion Picture
Club of New York City at November
21st meeting held in hotel Pennsylvania
Pictures comprised: “New Song of the
Mesa,” by Edmund Shaw; “Song of the
Open Road” by Charles H. Benjamin;
“El Rancho,” by Mrs. Mary Jessop;
“Spring Is Here,” bv Harry Groedel;
and “Pointless Foray,” by George Mesa-
ros. All presentations were in 16mm. ko-
dachrome.
Titling and various ways to make
same, was the subject of supplemental
meeting held on November 6th. Metro¬
politan announces that its December
19th meeting has been set aside for the
club’s annual Christmas party — a big
event for members — at which a fine pro¬
gram of films will be shown.
Los Angeles Cinema
Mrs. E. B. Kellam featured the No¬
vember 4th meeting of the Los Angeles
Cinema Club with her presentation of
her personally-made films of a South
American tour covering period of three
months. Charles J. Naroma showed the
best slides selected by the Hollywood
Color Slide group; and Dr. Irwin A.
Moon presented his “God of Creation,”
a splendid combination of animation and
unusual photography for a trip into the
astronomical universe.
Annual meeting of Los Angeles Cine¬
ma has been set for December 9th, and
entries for the annual contest closed on
November 21st. Judges for the event in¬
clude: Ted Phillips, S.S.C., Edwin Schal-
lert, Herbert E. Farmer, Karl Freund,
A.S.C., Lorenzo Del Riccio, and James
H. Mitchell.
San Francisco Cinema
Program chairman Larry Dugan pre¬
sented two fine films at the November
19th meeting of Cinema Club of San
Fiancisco, held at the Women’s City
Club; where usual club dinner preceded
the session. Films shown were “Rhum¬
ba,” comedv in 8mm. kodachrome by Mr.'
and Mrs. R. E. Haney; and Leon Gag¬
ne’s “North Coast Highways,” 16mm.
kodachrome travelogue taken on trip
from San Francisco to Fort Bragg. An¬
nual dinner meeting will be held on De¬
cember 17th, according to club announce¬
ment.
Philadelphia Cinema
November meeting of Philadelphia
Cinema Club was held on the 12th in
the Little Theatre of Franklin Institute.
Mr. F. Carroll Beyer of Ansco presented
a demonstration of Anscocolor, including
discussion of proper exposure and home
processing of the film.
Los Angeles Night
J. A. Hornaday was elected president
of the Los Angeles Eight MM. Club at
annual meeting held in Bell & Howell
auditorium, November 12th. Other offi¬
cers to function during the coming year
include: Bion B. Vogel, vice-president;
Harold E. McEvers, secretary; and Rob¬
ert C. Beazell, treasurer. Film program
for the evening included: “Christmas at
Home,” by Merle and Leslie Williams, a
recent national award winner; and
“America the Beautiful,” 16mm. koda¬
chrome produced by Warner Brothers
for the U. S. Treasury Department.
Annual banquet and showings of con¬
test films will be held at Scully’s Cafe
on evening of December 7th.
San Francisco Westwood
Regular meeting of Westwood Movie
Club of San Francisco was held at St.
Francis Community Hall on October
25th, with member Walter C. Clifford
presenting his 16mm. color film, “Trav¬
elogue of Feather River to Grass Val¬
ley.” Also shown was “Amateurina,”
16mm. color comedy produced by Indi¬
anapolis Amateur Movie Club.
Entries in the club’s annual contest
for both 16mm. and 8mm. subjects pro¬
vided highlights of the meeting held on
November 29th. Winners will be an¬
nounced in the next issue.
Milwaukee Amateur
Annual film exhibitions for contest
prizes were held at the November 13th
and 27th meetings of Amateur Movie
Society of Milwaukee; with the 8mm.
entries judged on the former date, and
the 16s holding the screen on the 27th.
Judges were Charles C. Kruse and Carl
F. Forbes; with A1 Walker functioning
as contest chairman. Annual election
will be held on January 8th, and nom¬
inating committee consisting of Naomi
Gauger, William Rheingans, and Walter
Chappelle is currently engaged in se¬
lecting two candidates for each office.
Utah Cine Club
Demonstration of a movie projector
capable of showing both 8 and 16mm.
prints, was demonstrated by B. Martin
Storm at the November 20th meeting*
of Utah Cine Arts Club of Salt Lake
City. Film program included “A Hike
Up Bell Canyon,” by L. C. Layton; Leo
Heffernan’s “Hail British Columbia,”
1941 Hiram Percy Maxim Award winner
loaned by ACL; and showings of un¬
finished pictures or clips — maxium of 50
feet of 8mm. and 100 feet of 16mm. —
provided by members. Club bulletin an¬
nounces that members LeRoy Hansen
and A1 Londema were award winners in
a recent national movie contest.
450
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
KODASCOPE
HERE'S a splendid Christmas present
for the 8mm. movie enthusiast. Low
in cost, high in quality, Kodascope
Eight-33 promises many an evening
of brilliant home movie entertainment.
It's equipped with a powerful 500-
watt lamp and fast // 2 lens . . . will
"take" a 300- or 400- watt lamp, if less
illumination is adequate. Centralized
controls and finger-tip-handy adjust¬
ment knobs make operation amazingly
easy. And this projector is available
right now at many Kodak dealers'!
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester 4, N. Y.
Pioneer Still Devising Aerial Movie Short-Cuts
In this 1927 photo, veteran aerial cinematographer, Elmer Dyer, A.S.C., is
shown with the dual-camera setup he used in filming air sequences for Howard
Hughes' "Hell's Angels." Two Bell & Howell professional 35mm. cameras
were employed — one with short focus lens for long shots, the other with
telephoto lens for closeups.
Dyer is shown above with his specially-rigged Bell & Howell 35mm. profes¬
sional camera during recent shooting of aerial sequences for Columbia Pic¬
tures' "Gallant Journey." Notice the 1,000-foot magazine, used in the open
cockpit for the first time by Dyer.
There are good reasons for the au¬
thentic excitement packed into aerial
photographic sequences in Columbia Pic¬
tures’ recent release “Gallant Journey.”
Among the most important are Camera¬
man Elmer Dyer, A.S.C., and his cus¬
tom-rigged Bell & Howell 35mm. Pro¬
fessional camera. In filming some of the
action in this feature, Dyer made aerial
photographic nistory by successfully us¬
ing a 1000-ft. film magazine in an open
cockpit for the first time. Special steel
bracing was required for this adaptation,
which permitted unusually long shooting
W. G. C. BOSCO
sessions with a single loading of film.
A major in the Army Air Forces dur¬
ing the war, Dyer saw service in Europe
with the 8th Air Force, and also had a
hand in training several hundred Army
aerial photographers in California.
With some 10,000 flying hours in his
log-book, Dyer is a pioneer in open-
cockpit movie technique. He is remem¬
bered in the industry for his daring work
in filming “Hell’s Angels” for Howard
Hughes in 1927. At that time he had
two Bell & Howell Professional cameras
mounted in tandem in a biplane, one
Contributors Honored
“March of Progress,” written and di¬
rected by W. G. C. Bosco, whose Aces
of the Camera is a popular feature of
this magazine, and photographed by
Robert Pittack, A.S.C., has been select¬
ed by the Motion Picture Division of the
Library of Congress as one of the best
pictures in its class produced in 1945.
Prints of this black-and-white subject,
which has as its theme the influence of
transportation on the changing pattern
of life in the San Francisco Bay area,
will be preserved in the permanent col¬
lection of the Library.
Lightman’s Article in Colliers
Herb Lightman, whose critical and
information on the use of subjective
photographic techniques are regular
features of American Cinematographer,
had by-line article, “Movie Revolution”
published in November 9th issue of Col¬
liers. This gave the public some inside
information on the use of subjective
camera technique by Robert Montgom¬
ery and Director of Photography Paul
Vogel, A.S.C. for M-G-M’s “Lady in the
Lake.”
fitted with a short-focus lens for long-
shots, the other equipped with a tele¬
photo for simulated closeups. This ar¬
rangement permitted the completion of
two scenes during a single flight.
Currently, Dyer is employing a simi¬
lar tandem setup, consisting of an Eyemo
35mm. and a Filmo 70-F 16mm. camera,
in filming a series of short subjects en¬
titled “American Air Trails.” The dual
camera mounting enables him to shoot
35mm. black-and-white and 16mm. color
footage simultaneously.
South African Agency
Eric Horvitch of Photo Agencies of
Southern Africa, has acquired exclusive
distribution for the Professional Junior
tripods of Camera Equipment Company
for Union of South Africa and sur¬
rounding territories.
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
t
452
Sound Movies in your own home —
with films that encompass the world
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Your guests will enjoy scenes from
the thousands of films now available.
Plan a "Movie Night” once a week
^ and use a Victor Projector.
Scenes from these exciting
films will have finest picture bril¬
liance, truest sound fidelity with a
Victor Animatophone, the choice of
educators, industrialists, and Govern¬
ment agencies. It’s the choice, too, of
smart amateurs to show their own
homemade movies. Those who know
and use the Victor Animatophone
readily vouch for its superiority.
Ask for a demonstration!
VICTOR
AN I MATO GRAPH CORPORATION
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Home Office and Factory: Davenport. Iowa
New York • Chicago
Distributors Throughout the World
MAKERS OF I6MM EQUIPMENT SINCE 1923
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DON'T FORGET THE
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And that’s why the Fonda Developer is your best buy . .
the only processing machine with the patented Fonda driving
principle for regulating film tension. Fonda not only welcomes
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Your Fonda machine will process any type film at almost
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FONDA FILM
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT DIVISION
STAINLESS PRODUCTS
Sales office: 6534 Sunset Blvd.,
Hollywood 28, California • Factory: San Diego
pronto. But it took us the rest of the
afternoon to get the natives down from
the rafters and the top of the sets.
“We certainly have a cinch now with
optical printers and other facilities on
production. But in those days, you
cranked the picture by hand, making-
all fades, overlaps and double exposures
right in the camera.
“In one serial scene, we wanted a
herd of tigers to run to the far side of
a stockade where the natives were
throwing a man in as a sacrifice. We
only had eight tigers, so we made three
exposures below to produce total of
24 tigers. But they all had to run on
count to reach the designated spot simul¬
taneously, and we finally accomplished
the desired shot. In the same manner,
we tripled the 40 native extras to a mob
of 120.
Earliest Experiments in Soundfilms
“In 1925, Jack Warner sent me to
New York to do the initial experiment¬
ing on sound motion pictures with en¬
gineers of Bell Laboratories, and I
worked with Stanley S. Watkins and his
associates from the Laboratories. They
worked on the recording end, while I
handled the photography for the tests.
Of course, at that time, everything was
recorded on wax. When you once started
on a record there was no such thing as
stopping; you had to make the entire
10 minute record on one wax.
“At first, the motors of camera and
sound were not synchronized as they
are today; each had a throboscope disc
on the shaft and the camera assistant
and assistant recorder had to watch the
disc all through the take, and if it
started to hunt forward or back, one or
the other would have to push the han¬
dle of a rheostat backward or forward
in order to bring the motors back to¬
gether again. Of course, they would
never be exactly together all of the
time, but in those days you could be
out a little and the audience would not
complain.
“When I first started, we only used
one camera. Everything was a long shot.
So one day I suggested to Stanley Wat¬
kins that — as we were synchronizing one
camera with the recorder — why not hook
up two so that the sound camera could
get a close or medium shot. The tryout
was satisfactory, and that was the be¬
ginning of multiple cameras on the set.
“Then we shortly were using three
cameras on everything; one for the long,
or master, shot; one for medium shot;
and the other with long focal lenses for
closeups. As a rule, I used to have the
camera with the long 3-4-5-6 inch lenses.
On occasions I would change lenses as
many as 15 or 20 times in order to get
different closeup and medium shots in a
10 minute number. Of course, every time
I changed from one lens to another, a
few frames of the picture would be lost,
but as the long shot camera was going-
all the time, we could always cut back
to it and keep everything in synk.
Initial Sweet Boxes
“The expression of ‘sweating it out’
must have originated back in the old
Manhattan Opera House, New York.
When a number was started, the cam¬
eraman and his assistant were locked
up in a sound proof box which was
termed the camera booth. We stayed in
there for 10 minute stretches with no
fresh air except what was there -when
the door was closed, and that was soon
used up. I often wonder what could have
happened if a fire started. The door was
locked from the outside, which neces¬
sitated someone opening it up at the fin¬
ish of every take.
First WB Sound Pictures Shown
August 6, 1926 was the big night; the
first showing of Warner Brothers’ sound
picture. It was a white tie and tail
affair, with all the Warner brothers
there, but I think the happiest was the
late Sam Warner, because the entire
project was his particular pet and he
had worked all through it with us. In
fact, the company had taken one of the
greatest gambles of all time in motion
picture history — but it paid off hand¬
somely. It was an eventful night. We
had made a number of shorts to sup¬
plement the orchestra - backgrounded
456 December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
“Don Juan,’ so the shorts had to do the
talking and singing. There was an open¬
ing speech by Will Hays, Martinelli in
an operatic selection, Ray Smeck and
his banjo, Anna Case, and the Cansinos
in a Spanish Fiesta reel.
“We made shorts for about another
year in New York and then closed down;
at which time I transferred back to Hol¬
lywood where Warners equipped a small
stage for sound production and started
to make shorts again. We had had so
much trouble with arc lights in New
York on account of the noise, that we
decided to attempt the use of all incan¬
descent — or inkie — light. With maximum
of 1,000 watt lamps to work with, we
used all we could get, but had nothing
for spot lights. Frank Murphy construct¬
ed some stands with mirror reflectors
for the 1,000 watters, and then took all
the flood light spots that were being
used to light up the front of the studio
for improvised spots. That was the start
of inkie lights for picture production.
“After we got a few lights together,
the studio held regular classes in inkie
light on a special set, with all studio
motion picture photographers invited.
The different cameramen would take
turns lighting the set, and the film
would be run off at the next meeting.
“At the time, we made some sound
sequences in full length pictures such as
‘The Jazz Singer,’ ‘Lion and the Mouse,’
‘Singing Fool,’ ‘The Barker,’ and others.
Shortly after, a short with Cullen Lan¬
dis, Helene Costello, and Gene Pallette
was produced by Bryan Foy. It looked
so good, he decided to expand it into a
two reeler but sequences kept adding
until he wound up with the first all¬
talker, ‘Lights of New York,’ to again
make motion picture history.
Coast to Coast
Early in 1928, production was resumed
in the New York studios, so I was
shipped east for a seven year stretch,
until returning to the coast in 1935 to
associate with the special effects depart¬
ment. Last spring, while in New York
making some background keys for ‘The
Voice of the Turtle,’ I again met Stan¬
ley Watkins. During our reminiscences,
he remembered that he had stored the
original shorts tests in a cabinet on top
of the Bell Telephone building. So we
went up and easily found them where
they had originally been stored. The
amazing part of it was that they went
through the projector after all these
years — had not shrunk and were not
brittle. But the showing brought back
happy memories — of nearly 30 years
with one company and the numerous
new practices which had to be devised
in motion picture photography, special
effects and process, and soundfilm pro¬
cedure to maintain motion pictures as
the greatest form of entertainment.”
Controlled Voltage
for 16mm. Projectors
The Victor Animatograph Corpora¬
tion of Davenport, Iowa, is offering a
new Voltage Regulator with which the
power supply for 16mm projectors can
be held to the correct, and uniform,
level.
The new Victor Voltage Regulator
eliminates difficulties many times con¬
fronting 16mm projector operators in
rural or outlying urban districts where
power supply is often inadequate or ir¬
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Compact, simple to assemble or dis¬
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Holder and 2 filter holders which are
supplied are precision-made of non-
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Designed for use with all popular types of
16mm cameras, the “Professional Jun¬
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2" square glass filters, also a 2^4" round
Pola Screen with handle which can be
rotated for correct polarization. By using
our “Professional Junior” Sunshade &
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cover all lenses from 15mm to 6" tele¬
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The Sunshade-Filter Holder is supported
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a plate which you can fasten on to the
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at all times if you desire. The Sunshade-
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Manufactured exclusively by the makers
of “ Professional Junior ” Tripods and
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American Cinematographer • December, 1946
457
"The Killers"
(Continued from Page 431)
static camera and let our players work
toward it.”
Siodmak is a director who likes to
convey visual ideas in a unique way.
He worked closely with Woody Bredell,
A.S.C., striving to inject psychological
undertones into certain key sequences
of the film. There is one scene, for in¬
stance, in which we see a group of
gangsters plotting a hold-up. Here the
key light was placed unusually high,
with no fill illumination, so that the play¬
ers eyes went dark in such a way that
the shadows suggested masks.
For another sequence in which the
hero is shown in a prison cell, the light¬
ing was purposely soft and church-like
to accentuate the innocence of the char¬
acter. In a series of scenes that took
place in the morgue, the players were
silhouetted against a glaring white wall,
the striking illumination of which con¬
veyed a kind of “butcher shop” atmos¬
phere.
Perhaps the most unusual bit of cam¬
era handling in the whole picture is the
hold-up sequence, filmed entirely in one
take, utilizing 18 camera stops and up¬
wards of 60 changes of focus. The news¬
reel quality of the camera approach,
plus the realistic confusion of the fac¬
tory policemen portrayed, gave this se¬
quence a documentary quality.
A Cameraman’s Picture
For cinematographer Bredell, “The
Killers” was, at the same time, a field
day and a challenge. He wanted his
treatment to be dramatic, yet so realistic
that it would go unnoticed as a mechan¬
ical device. For this reason, he ruled out
anything that smacked of beautiful pho¬
tography and worked entirely for realis¬
tic effects.
Especially apropo was his lighting
treatment, a style which he calls out-of-
balance lighting, which is characteristic
by sharp contrast between crystal white
and velvet black. Purposely discarding
fill illumination he managed to avoid
wishy-washy grey halftones.
“The lighting set-ups were kept quite
simple,” Bredell points out. “It is a
temptation for a cameraman to become
spoiled because he is given too much
equipment with which to work, and he
feels that he must use all of it. Similar¬
ly, if you have 18 electricians on a set,
each one wants to turn his light on.”
Naturally, the kind of realistic light¬
ing used was not especially flattering
to the players. There were no ethe¬
really diffused close-ups, no softly lit
glamour shots. Instead, eye shadows
were allowed to go dark, and side-light¬
ing divided faces into black and white
halves. There was a bit of vain grum¬
bling in the projection room when the
first dailies were shown. “The audience
can’t see my eyes there,” one actor was
heard to remark. “One side of my face
is dark,” wailed an ingenue.
But the technicians continued to sacri¬
fice the vanity of the actors in favor
of the realistic, down-to-earth treatment
that made the audience feel that they
were watching the actions of real people.
Those actors who could take that kind of
lighting took it — and the rest went along
for the ride. Soon, however, the players
fell in with the enthusiastic mood of
the technicians and forgot all about their
photographic complaints.
“We had no elaborate sets with which
to achieve unusual effects,” Bredell ob¬
serves. “Therefore, we had to get our
interesting visual patterns with light and
shadow. We tried to use story photo¬
graphy rather than stereotyped motion
picture or star photography. I hope that
not too many people specifically noticed
the photography in ‘The Killers,’ be¬
cause motion picture camerawork is only
good when it goes unnoticed.”
The Team Pulls Together
Work on the film went along in an in-
(Continued on Page 463)
NEW ELECTRONE-TONE 16mm. RECORDER and PRINTER WITH
TONE -FIDELITY THAT EXCELS
Technical Data Regarding the Recording System
Audio frequencies of 10,000 or more cycles per second can
be recorded with this equipment. The basic recording unit
consists of a recording head, recording galvanometer and
film magazine, with motor drive, the amplifier equipment
and the necessary indicating and metering devices. A pat¬
ented mechanism permits the recording of conventional
16 mm. single-sprocket motion picture film.
The recording unit, which can also be used to print unlimited
quantities of the master recording, is small and compact
and can be considered portable for certain specific opera¬
tions. Weight is less than 100 pounds.
Printing is accomplished by exchanging the recording film
magazine with a double-spool magazine and passing the
original and unexposed film in contact with each other
through the recording head, using the recording exciter as
a source of light. No film is lost in the E!ectrone-Tone
Daylite Printer — every foot is utilized.
The equipment is converted into a Play-Back unit by intro¬
ducing a photo-electric cell into the circuit and utilizing the
recording exciter as a fixed source of light.
All E.'ectrone-Tone equipment described or illustrated herein
is fully covered by issued patents or patent applications
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458
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Universal Acquires Filmo Sound
THE entire 8 and 16 mm. film libra¬
ry of Bell & Howell was acquired
early last month by United World
Films, Inc., wholly-owned subsidiary of
Universal Pictures Company, Inc., re¬
cently formed to produce and distribute
sub-standard entertainment, educational
and religious films on a world-wide
basis.
Purchase of the B&H Filmosound li¬
brary of 6,000 subjects, and acquisition
of the branch offices and operating per¬
sonnel in the Chicago, New York, Wash¬
ington and Los Angeles exchanges; is
of major importance to the 8 and 16 mm.
sectors of the industry, as it marks the
initial entry of a major film company
into the field on a large scale.
United World will continue to distrib¬
ute current subjects in the Filmosound
library; and in addition will handle the
16 mm. prints of forthcoming Universal-
International entertainment productions,
and educational and religious releases
which the J. Arthur Rank interests will
produce in England. Other entertainment
and educational reels will be acquired
for the widened distribution which is
certain to eventuate with operation by
United World and Universal.
Filmosound library was originally es¬
tablished by Bell & Howell in 1929 to
aid in the development of the 8 and 16
mm. divisions, and to provide a central
point where such films could be booked.
Having accomplished the original pur¬
pose, and deciding that plans of United
World will assure wider expansion of
distribution, B&H made the deal to con¬
fine company activities to the design and
manufacture of precision motion picture
equipment.
Matthew Fox, executive president of
Universal, will function as board chair¬
man of United World; with Colonel
James M. Franey as president. William
F. Kruse, with Filmosound since its in¬
ception and manager since 1933; Edward
L. McEvoy, head of Universal’s shorts
subject department; and Edmund L.
Dorfman, will be active vice presidents
of the new organization.
Undoubtedly, initial moves of United
World will be to organize and expand
distribution of the film library, with in¬
dications that eventually bookings will
be possible through the regular film ex¬
changes of Universal-International in
the United States and abroad. In addi¬
tion, special educational and religious
films in the 16 mm. size will be pro¬
duced for distribution through United
World.
The following statement was issued by
N. J. Blumberg, President of Universal
Pictures Company, Inc., and J. H. Mc-
Nabb, President of Bell and Howell
Company:
“The marked increase in the 16 mm.
and 8 mm. market, stimulated by the
ever growing desire on the part of the
public to acquire information through
motion pictures, inspired the transaction
whereby Universal acquires the Bell and
Howell library of 16 mm. and 8 mm.
films. Bell and Howell felt that Univer¬
sal had conceived a real public service
program in relation to the distribution
of this type film and for that reason
finally selected Universal from a large
list of other interests in the motion pic¬
ture field.
“The affiliation which Universal en¬
joys, world-wide, with the J. Arthur
Rank organization also was an important
factor in the consummation of the deal.
“Although details of working plans are
not final, each week will see develop¬
ments which will rapidly bring out not
only the complete organization for the
distribution of the films, but production
as well.”
Officials of both companies emphasized
the impetus gained in the 16 mm. and
8 mm. domain through the use of small
range film by the Armed Services during
the war is greatly responsible for an
overnight interest on the part of the pub¬
lic in viewing 16 mm. films which con¬
tain subject matter that cannot be seen
under any other conditions.
fum
THAT’S
It’s true, CHROMA-TECH has developed the Add-A-Unit 16mm
motion picture developing machine that "uses its head” in the
production of quality motion picture development. "Uses its
head” in the complete protection of film being processed, AND
BEING DEVELOPED AT THE AMAZING SPEED OF 9000
FEET PER HOUR! Yes, actually over V/i miles of film per hour
developed in actual tests prove the protection of the Add-A-Unit
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American Cinematographer « December, 1946
459
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Current Assignments
As this issue of American Cinematog¬
rapher goes to press, members of the A.
S. C. were engaged as Directors of Pho¬
tography in the Hollywood studios as
follows :
Columbia
Charles Lawton, Jr., “The Lady from
Shanghai,” with Rita Hayworth, Orson
Welles, Glenn Anders.
William Snyder, “The Swordsman,”
(Technicolor), with Larry Parks, Ellen
Drew, George Macready, Edgar Bu¬
chanan.
George Meehan, Jr., “King of the Wild
Horses,” with Preston Foster, Gail Pat-
trick, Guinn Williams.
Vincent Farrar, “Blondie’s Holiday,”
with Arthur Lake, Penny Singleton,
Larry Simms.
Eagle-Lion
L. W. O’Connell, “Amy Comes Across,”
with Franchot Tone, Ann Richards, Tom
Conway.
Enterprise
Victor Milner, “The Other Love,” with
Barbara Stanwyck, David Niven, Rich¬
ard Conte.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Hal Rosson, “To Kiss and Keep,” with
Gene Kelly, Marie McDonald, Charles
Winninger, Spring Byington.
Sidney Wagner, “The Romance of Rosy
Ridge,” with Van Johnson, Thomas
Mitchell, Marshall Thompson, Selena
Royle, Guy Kibbe.
of A. S. C. Members
George Folsey, “Green Dolphin Street,”
with Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna
Reed, Edmund Gwenn, Reginald Owen.
Charles Rosher, “Cynthia’s Secret,”
with Lionel Barrymore, Edward Arnold,
Lucile Bremer, James Craig, Keye Luke.
Charles Salerno, “Undercover Maisie,”
with Ann Sothern, Barry Nelson, Mark
Daniels.
Harry Stradling, “A Love Story,” with
Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Rob¬
ert Walker.
Ray June, “The Birds and the Bees,”
with Jeanette MacDonald, Jose Iturbi,
Jane Powell, Kathryn Card.
Robert Surtees, “The Rich, Full Life,”
with Elizabeth Taylor, George Murphy,
Mary Astor, Spring Byington, Gene
Lockhart.
Monogram
Henry Sharp, “The Guilty,” with Bo¬
nita Granville, Don Castle, Regis Too-
mey, John Litel.
Mack Stengler, “Fall Guy,” Robert
Penn, Teala Loring, Robert Armstrong.
Marcel LePicard, “Drifting Through,”
with Jimmy Wakely, Lee Shite, Kay
Morley.
Paramount
Lionel Lindon, “Variety Girl,” with
Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest
Kelley, and Paramount stars.
William Mellor, “Blaze of Noon,” with
Anne Baxter, William Holden, Sterling
Are YOUR Films Safe
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Films can be damaged beyond repair
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these dangers to your often irreplace¬
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B&H reels are of rust-proofed spring
steel, rigid yet so resilient that they
will not take a set. They have no
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eliminate hunting in the dark for a
slot. Their film-footage calibrations
are another convenience feature.
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B&H humidor cans for these reels
are equally well built. They are rust¬
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YourFilmodealerwill soon have B&H
reels and cans in all capacities for
both 8mm. and 16mm. film. Place
your orders with him now or write
to Bell & Howell Company, 7148
McCormick Road, Chicago 45.
460
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Hayden, Sonny Tufts, William Bendix,
Howard da Silva.
PRC
Virgil Miller, “Red Stallion,” with
Robert Paige, Noi'een Nash, Jan Dar-
well.
RKO
Sol Polito, “The Long Night,” (Ha-
kim-Litvak Prod.) with Henry Fonda,
Barbara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price, Ann
Dvorak.
Archie Stout, “Tarzan and the Hunt¬
ress,” (Sol Lesser Prod.) with Johnny
Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Shef¬
field, Patricia Morison.
Nick Musuraca, “Build My Gallows
High,” with Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer,
Virginia Huston.
Jack McKenzie, “Seven Keys to Bald-
pate,” with Philip Terry, Jacqueline
White, Eduardo Ciannelli, Margaret
Lindsay.
Republic
Tony Gaudio, “Gallant Man,” with Don
Ameche, Catherine McLeod, Roscoe
Karns, Joe Frisco.
John Alton, “Wyoming,” with William
Elliott, Vera Ralston, John Carroll, Vir¬
ginia Grey, George (Gabby Hayes), Al¬
bert Dekker, Maria Ouspenskaya.
Screen Guild
Robert Pittack, “Bells of San Fer¬
nando,” (Hillcrest Prod.) with Donald
Woods, Gloria Warren, Shirley O’Hara.
Twentieth Century-Fox
Leon Shamroy, “Forever Amber,”
(Technicolor), with Linda Darnell, Cor¬
nell Wilde, Richard Greene, Glenn Lan-
gan, George Sanders, Margot Grahame.
Harry Jackson, “Mother Wore Tights,”
(Technicolor), with Betty Grable, Dan
Dailey, Jr., Mona Freeman, Anabel Shaw
Connie Marshall, Michael Dunne, Wil¬
liam Frawley.
Benjamin Kline, “Jewels of Branden¬
burg,” (Sol Wurtzel Prod.), with Rich¬
ard Travis, Micheline Cheirel, Leonard
Strong.
United Artists
Russell Harlan, “Red River,” (Monte¬
rey Prod.) with John Wayne, Montgom¬
ery Clift, Walter Brennan, John Ireland,
Joanne Dru, Noah Beery, Jr.
William Daniels, “Personal Column,”
(Hunt Stromberg Prod.) with George
Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn,
Cedric Hardwicke.
Universal-International
Milton Krasner, “The Egg and I,” with
Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray,
Marjorie Main, Louise Allbritton, Percy
Kilbride.
Charles Van Enger, “Buck Privates
Come Home,” with Bud Abbott, Lou Cos¬
tello, Tom Brown, Nat Pendleton, Bever¬
ly Simmons.
Warners
Peverell Marley, “Night Unto Night,”
with Viveca Lindfors, Ronald Reagan,
Oas Massen, Broderick Crawford.
Arthur Edeson and William Skall, “My
Wild Irish Rose,” (Technicolor), with
Dennis Morgan, Andrea King, Arlene
Dahl, Alan Hale, George Tobias, George
O’Brien.
Carl Guthrie, “The Woman in White,”
with Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, Syd¬
ney Greenstreet, Agnes Moorehead, John
Emery, Emma Dunn.
Ted McCord, “Deep Valley,” with Ida
Lupino, Dane Clark, Wayne Morris, Fay
Bainter, Henry Hull.
Sid Hickox, “Dai-k Passage,” with
Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Agnes
Moorehead, Bruce Bennett, Tom
d ’Andrea.
8 Enl*g°d 16 Reroed 8
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MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND - ON - FILM RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931
American Cinematographer • December, 1946
461
Bardwell-McAlister Distrib. Camera and Tripod
Craig Movie Supply Company of Los
Angeles has been appointed exclusive
sales distributor of the Bardwell-Mc¬
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the 11 western states, Alaska and Ha¬
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It will still take quite some time to fill our heavy
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AC- 1 2
(Continued from Page 441)
order and came through beautifully on
the screen.
What Staub considers the most diffi¬
cult job he ever tackled alone was
filmed one afternoon years ago at Pick-
fair with the late Douglas Fairbanks
and Mary Pickford.
“It was only Doug’s terrific sense of
humor that prompted him to agree to
do the reel in the first place,” Staub
recalls. “It was made in connection with
Fairbanks’ appearance at the premiere
of one of his new pictures.
“The action was something like this,”
Staub said. “Miss Pickford, dressed in
a formal evening gown, comes out into
the garden calling her husband to go
to the theater. She finds him all dressed
in white tie, tails and top hat, happily
splashing around in the swimming pool.
When Doug hears Mary’s call he calmly
walks out of the pool and emerges with
his clothes completely dry, ready to
leave for the premiere.
“To film that trick sequence, I had to
cover the lens and run off about 50-ft.
of unexposed film. Then I reversed the
belt on the camera and photographed
Doug as he walked backward into the
center of the pool. After this was done,
I again covered the lens and ran the
50-ft. of exposed film back through the
camera again before continuing with
the sequence. The closeups of Doug at
the edge of the pool brushing himself
dry had been made even earlier. Back
at the laboratory after development all
this footage was intercut with normal
footage showing Fairbanks’ arrival at
the theater to produce a good, solid
laugh for the audience.
“To film that same trick sequence to¬
day,” Staub estimates, “he would use
a crew of at least 18 technical men and
assistants. But,” he feels, “the incident
does illustrate the complicated type of
scene one man can film when the oc¬
casion demands it.”
Staub admits he gets nostalgic satis¬
faction in being the only man in Holly¬
wood who holds cards in the American
Society of Cinematographers, the Inter¬
national Photographers and the Screen
Directors’ Guild. And the fact that his
days as a one-man operator are over is
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compensated by the luxury of being able
to draw upon a full crew whenever he
goes out to shoot a new “Screen Snap¬
shot reel” for Columbia.
His present production crew measures
up something like this: Camera crew 4
men, grips 2, electricians 2, sound crew
5, drivers 4, assistant director 1, make¬
up 1, hairdress 1; total crew, 20.
By contrast, when he did the whole
job himself, he was his own writer, di¬
rector, producer, cameraman, special ef¬
fects man, electrician and property
man. Furthermore, he cut, edited and
titled those old reels and took them on
the road to sell on a states-right basis
to theaters and chains throughout the
country.
As he remembers it, he got $350.00
per reel (his cost) for the foreign right
on such subjects. All the domestic reve¬
nue was velvet. In his first year as a
lone-hand cameraman-producer, when he
was twenty-four years old, his net earn¬
ings were slightly over $11,000.
During the intervening years Staub
has made, in addition to the 614 one- and
two-reel shorts, about a dozen feature
pictures at Republic which ranged in
theme from musicals and comedies to
straight dramas and rip-roaring west¬
erns.
Since his return to Columbia to re¬
sume making “Screen Snapshots,” Staub
has boosted the release on these shorts
from 60 release prints to 120 prints per
subject. On such specials as “Famous
Movie Fathers,” more than 125 release
prints were required. One subject titled
“Thrills in Spills,” presenting a lot of
dare-devil by the screen’s best stunt
men, had an all time high of 150 re¬
lease prints.
The fact that his “Screen Snapshots”
reels have three times been nominated
for Academy Awards, and that they
play regularly in over 5,000 theaters in
the United States alone, is something to
bring a sparkle of satisfaction into
Staub’s eyes when he remembers some
of the headaches of his early days.
Asked how long his contract still has
to run with Columbia, Staub merely
grinned.
“I don’t have any contract,” he said.
“I don’t need it. Every Christmas I
just go up and shake hands with the
president of the company, Harry Cohn.
Then I’m all set for another year’s
work !”
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462
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
"The Killers"
(Continued from Page 458)
credibly smooth manner. From time to
time, of course, there were minor dis¬
agreements, such as occurred during the
filming of the morgue sequence. The
producer felt that it might be just a bit
extreme to play the actors silhouetted
against a glaring white background.
But he was overruled by both the di¬
rector and the cinematographer, so the
scene stayed in.
When the picture was finished, the
technicians all felt that they had a
great piece of celluloid there, but the
final opinion rested with the public,
since a picture with no stars is usually
hard to sell at the box office. Wanting
to make it as difficult as possible for
himself, Hellinger took the picture first
to an easy audience for preview, then to
the most skeptical audience he could find.
He called in members of the underworld
to view the picture and give their opin¬
ions as “technical advisers.” When these
characters waxed even more enthusias¬
tic than average spectators, he began
to feel that the film might score.
Later, he .flew a print up to author
Ernest Hemingway at his mountain re¬
treat near Sun Valley, Idaho. Heming¬
way invited the whole town of 60 hardy
souls to see the picture, then sent a
glowing telegram to Hellinger praising
“The Killers” as “the best screen adap¬
tation ever made of any of my work.”
Looking back at the hectic months
during which the film was in produc¬
tion, Mark Hellinger observes, “We had
a rare association of creative personali¬
ties there — with everyone working to¬
gether for the good of the picture. Work¬
ing on this film, we all found that it
takes unselfish cooperation to bring out
the best in the individual specialist.”
Asked what was his formula for eine-
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mafic success, Hellinger laughted: “Suc¬
cess? Well — in the movies it’s about 50%
luck and 50% teamwork from the kind
of crew we had working on ‘The Kil¬
lers.’ What can the producer do to make
the picture a success? Well — I’d say he
should hire the best possible talent, and
then spend six months in Florida while
the picture is shooting.”
B & H Filmo Duo-Master
Slide Projector
Adjustable condenser-lens system, su¬
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heat filter, and rock-steadiness while
slides are being changed, are features of
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vocational use.
Kulka Tours for Victor
Robert H. Kulka, Latin American
sales manager for Victor Animatograph
headquai’ters in New York, is currently
on a tour of Mexico and Latin American
countries contacting Victor distributors.
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American Cinematographer • December, 1946
463
index To Volume XXVII — 1946
A
Academy Award Nominations for Best Cinema¬
tographer of 1945: 78
Academy Award Winners of 1945: 124
Aces of the Camera —
Jerome “Jerry” Ash, ASC : 115
Charles P. Boyle, ASC : 395
Daniel B. Clark, ASC: 240
Paul Eagler, ASC : 86
Ed B. DuPar, ASC: 435
Vincent J. Farrar, ASC : 275
Peverell Marley, ASC : 10
Robert Pittack, ASC : 159
Irving Reis, ASC: 351
Lester White. ASC: 311
Among the Movie Clubs: 20; 56; 92; 136; 172;
208 ; 252 ; 288 ; 328 : 373 ; 410 ; 450.
An Ace Heads East : 354
Army Air Forces “The Last Bomb,” Sensational
War Film : 44
Automatic Follow Focus Devices for Use :n
Cinematography : 8
B
Beauty, Brevity and the Beach : 324
Black —
“Aces of the Camera,” Peverell Marley, ASC :
10
“Positive Vari-Focal View-Finder for Motion
Picture Cameras” : 84
Bosco —
“Aces of the Camera,” Jerome “Jerry” Ash,
ASC: 115
“Aces of the Camera,” Charles P. Boyle,
ASC: 395
“Aces of the Camera,” Daniel P. Clark, ASC :
240
“Aces of the Camera,” Paul Eagler, ASC : 86
"Aces of the Camera,” Vincent J. Farrar,
ASC: 275
“Aces of the Camera,” Robert Pittack, ASC :
159
“Aces of the Camera,” Irving Reis, ASC: 351
“Aces of the Camera,” Lester White. ASC :
311
Browning —
"Diffusion Disk, The”: 98
“Miniature Camera Models” : 202
C
Cameras: 24; 46; 82; 84; 98; 276; 312; 382;
402; 440.
Camera and Tripod on His Shoulder : 440
Camera and Production Value, The: 312
Carbon Arc Lighting for 16mm Color Produc¬
tion : 318
China’s Wartime Film Industry: 20
Christiansen “High Fidelity Sound Printing for
16mm Film” : 322
Cinema Workshop: 244; 278; 320; 360; 404; 444
100; 144; 180; 220; 264; 300; 340; 384; 421;
464
Cinematic Idea, The: 244
Coles and Thomas — “Specialized Photograph ap¬
plied to Engineering in the Armed Forces”: 195
Coles and Woolsey — “New Norwood Exposure
Meter, The” : 254
Color: 7; 48: 164; 206; 318; 356
Current Assignments of ASC Members: 28; 64;
100; 144; 180; 220; 264; 424; 300; 340
Coote — “Survey of Current Processes of Color
Kinematography in England”: 164
D
Documentary: 250
Diffusion Disc, The : 98
Direction : 360
E
Educational: 16: 42: 258
Elemental Movie Tricks for the Amateur : 204
Equipment : 396
Eremin — “Soviet Film Scenarios” : 282
F
Fernstrom “Sixteen Goes Hollywood": 12
Film: 7 ; 12 ; 174 ; 322
Filming Adventure in Northern Alaska: 118
Filming Rocket Projectile Tests for the Navy: 80
Filming Today Through Central and South
America : 246
Fitting Film to Music: 23
Fleet — “Nashville's Youthful Film Enterprise": 40G
“Aces of the Camera,” Ed B. DuPar, ABC: 435
Fluid Camera, The: 82
G
Greatest Photographic Organization in History
Shot Bikini Blast: 352
Greene — “Academy Award Winners in Cinema¬
tography for 1945”: 124
H
Heckler and Strohm — “Automatic Focus Devices
Use in Cinematography”: 8
Herman- “Camera and Tripod on His Shoulder” :
440
High Fidelity Sound Printing for 16mm Film: 322
Hollywood Acclaims ASC at 25th Anniversary
Banquet : 230
Houston Announces New Camera Dolly: 382
I
Individual Color Evaluations Vary, Scientist Dis¬
closes : 206
Instructing U. S. Signal Corps Photographic
Companies with Major Art Lloyd, ASC : 258
International Styles in Cinematography: 116
K
Knechtel -“Photographing the Underwater Atom
Bomb Test at Bikini”: 315
“The Killers” — Teamwork on Film Production :
436
L
Leonard Smith Re-elected President of ASC : 199
Lightman— -
“An Ace Heads East” : 354
“Camera and Production Value”: 312
“Cinematographic Magic for ‘A Stolen Life’ ”:
196
“Fluid Camera, The” : 82
“International Styles in Cinematography”:
116
“The Killers” Teamwork on Film Production:
“M-G-M Pioneers with Subjective Feature” :
400
“Psychology and the Screen”: 160
“Sound and the Visual Image” : 284
“Subjective Camera, The” : 46
Loring —
Cinema Workshop, “Cinematic Idea, The” :
244
Cinema Workshop, “Direction”: 360
Cinema Workshop, “Exterior Shooting": 444
Cinema Workshop, “On the Set”: 404
Cinema Workshop, “Production Planning”:
320
Cinema Workshop, “The Script”: 278
M
Maurer Introduces New Professional 16mm Cam¬
era : 402
Membership Roll of the American Society of Cine¬
matographers: 198; 448
M-G-M Pioneers with Subjective Feature: 46
Miniature Camera Models : 202
Mitchell Camera Company Opens New Plant for
Expanded Production : 399
Mitchell’s New 16mm Professional Cameras: 84
Mole — “The M-R Brute, New Super High Intensity
Carbon Arc Lamp” : 438
Motion Pictures Sensationally Record “Oper¬
ations Crossroads": 280
M-R “Brute,” New Super High Intensity Carbon
Arc Lamp: 438
My Film Tour Through Central America : 326
N
Nashville’s Youthful Film Enterprise: 406
New Filter Techniques for Color Photography:
356
New Motion Picture Equipment and Practices
Disclosed at SMPE Convention : 396
New Norwood Exposure Meter: 254
No Cherry Blossoms in a Factory: 16
O
Orthican Pickup Tube for Television Cameras : 6
Oswald —
“Beauty, Brevity and the Beach” : 324
“Personalized Greeting Trailer for the Holi¬
days”: 412
“Pictorial Interest Is Where You Find It”:
248
“Simplified Movie Processing in Your Own
Darkroom”: 58
“Surveying the 16mm Sound Film Supply”:
174
“Titling Is What You Make It”: 370
“Titles of Distinction”: 94
“Using Your Movie Camera as a Motion
Picture Step Printer”: 23
P
Personalized Greeting Trailer for the Holidays:
412
Photographing Army Air Force Training Films:
42
Photographing the Underwater Atom Bomb Test
at Bikini: 315
Pictorial Interest Is Where You Find It: 248
Points On Use New Ansco 16mm Color Film: 7
Positive Vari-Focal View-Finder for Motion Pic¬
ture Cameras : 84
Psychology and the Screen : 160
Production Planning: 320
R
Rayton, Dr. Wilbur B., Passes: 442
Rawlinson — "Fitting Film to Music” : 23
Rennahan — “New Filter Technique for Color
Photography” : 356
Report of SMPE Committee on Color: 48
Review of Film News: 14
Russia Grabs German Agfa Plant, Process,
Equipment : 206
S
Scott —
“Filming Today Through Central and South
America” : 246
“My Film Tour Through Central and South
America” : 326
Script, The: 278
Simplified Movie Processing In Your Own Dark¬
room : 58
Sixteen Goes Hollywood : 12
Specialized Photography Applied to Engineering
in the Armed Forces: 195
Society of Motion Picture Engineers Convention
in Hollywood October 21-25: 362
Sound and the Visual Image: 284
Soviet Film Scenarios: 282
Soviet's “The Great Turning Point”: 170
Star Personalities Appear for ASC Birthday
Celebration : 235
Stensvold — “Carbon Arc Lighting for 16mm Color
Production” : 318
Strohm and Heckler — “Automatic Follow Focus
Devices for Use in Cinematography”: 8
Subjective Camera, The: 46
Survey of Current Process of Color Kinema¬
tography in England : 164
Surveying the 16mm Sound Film Supply: 174
T
Tannura — “Elemental Movie Tricks for the Ama¬
teur” : 204
Teh-han — “China’s Wartime Film Industry” : 120
Television : 6
Thomas and Coles — "Specialized Photography Ap¬
plied to Engineering in the Armed Forces” : 195
Through the Editor’s Finder: 50; 134; 166; 200;
242
Titling Is What You Make It : 370
Titles of Distinction : 94
U
Universal Acquires Filmosound Library : 459
Using Your Motion Picture Camera As a Step
Printer : 24
W
Warrenton — “Greatest Photographic Organization
in History Shot Bikini Blasts” : 352
Wise — "No Cherry Blossoms in a Factory”: 16
Wolfe — “Filming Adventure in Northern Alas¬
ka”: 118
Woolsey and Coles — "New Norwood Exposure
Meter, The”: 254
World-Wide Celebration of 20th Anniversary of
Sound Films: 162
World-Wide Documentary Films, Past, Present,
Future : 250
464
December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
Ampro "Century-10" 16mm.
Sound Projector
Making- projection of 16mm. sound-
on-film movies as inexpensive as possi¬
ble, while retaining all the precision
features necessary for quality sound
projection, is the announced purpose of
the new Amprosound “Century-10.”
It is presented by Ampro Corporation
as a light and compact projector, with
extremely simplified design to provide
the utmost in 16mm. sound-on-film pro¬
jection where features such as still pic¬
tures, reverse operation, and the com¬
bination of silent and sound speeds are
not desired. With its constant speed AC
motor with film speed of 24 frames per
second (sound speed), the Amprosound
“Century-10” is adapted for use in
homes, classrooms, in small auditoriums
and for industry.
In every way this model demonstrates
Ampro’s efforts to make operation as
easy as possible. Fast automatic rewind,
easy threading system, quick-centering
tilting knob, and centralized panel con¬
trol are a few of the convenient features.
You use standard prefocused lamps
for this projector, up to and including
1000 watts. Lamp adjustment is micro¬
metric — aligns lamp filament with opti¬
cal system both laterally and vertically.
Projector is equipped with super 2-inch
FI. 6 coated lens, instantly replaceable
by either 1, IV2, 2%, 3, 3%, 4-inch super
lenses.
Among the features that make for fine
sound reproduction is the rotating type
of sound drum, which avoids sliding ac¬
tion between the drum and film — thus
prolonging film life and maintaining
high quality sound. Curved film-guides
before and after sound drum eliminate
weaving and “belt action.” Amplifica¬
tion is of high quality, with tone control
for sharp speech reproduction. Twelve-
inch permanent magnet dynamic speak¬
er has adequate power for moderate
sized auditoriums.
Amprosound “Century-10” operates on
60 cycles AC only, 105 to 125 volts,
although it can be used with a con¬
verter or inverter on DC. Complete unit
includes projector, speaker, lens, lamps,
1600 ft. reel, and standard accessories.
Two carrying cases are also supplied,
for projector and speaker.
Reel Arm Extensions
for 60-Minute Show
The Victor Animatograph Corpora¬
tion of Davenport, Iowa, has announced
the development of new reel arm exten¬
sions which make it possible to employ
2,000-foot reels on its 16mm sound mo¬
tion picture projector.
The extensions are easily installed in
the front arm socket and may be carried
in projector or speaker case when not in
use. Victor’s exclusive top mounting of
both reels eliminates the common prob¬
lems and hazards of front or rear mount¬
ing. The new reel arm extensions sell
for 75c per set.
EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAP
AND CINEMATIC
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
The World's Largest Variety of Cameras and Projectors. Studio
and Laboratory Equipment with Latest Improvements as Used in
the Hollywood Studios. New and Used. BARGAINS.
Hollywood Camera Exchange
1600 CAHUENGA BOULEVARD
HO 3651 Hollywood, California Cable Hocamex
I 1
MOVIOLA
FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT
Used in Every Major Studio
Illustrated Literature on Request
Manufactured by
MOVIOLA MANUFACTURING CO.
1451 Gordon Street Hollywood 28, Calif.
RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE
Rents . . . Sells . . . Exchanges .•
Everything You Need for the
PRODUCTION & PROJECTION I
of Motion Pictures Provided
by a Veteran Organization
of Specialists
35 mm . 16 mm.
IN BUSINESS SINCE 1910
729 Seventh Ave., New York City
Cable Address: RUBYCAM
THIS "EYE" SEES INTO
THE FUTURE
B&H Taylor-Hobson-Cooke
Cine Lenses do more than meet
current technical demands. They
exceed them — and their design
anticipates future improvements in
film emulsions. They are THE
long-term investment lenses.
Write for literature.
BELL & HOWELL COMPANY
Exclusive world distributors
1849 Larchmont Avenue, Chicago
New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaxa
Hollywood: 716 N. LaBrea Ave.
Washington, D. C.: 1221 G St., N. W.
London: 13-14 Great Castle St.
BUY VICTORY BONDS
American Cinematographer • December, 1946 465
William J. German Elected
Brulatour, Inc., President
William J. German, who has held the
post of executive vice president of J. E.
Brulatour, Inc., for the past 25 years,
has been elected president of the com¬
pany to succeed the late Jules E. Bru¬
latour. German assumes the presidency
of both J. E. Brulatour, Inc. (Dela¬
ware), and J. E. Brulatour, Inc. (Cali¬
fornia), which handle exclusive Amer¬
ican distribution of Eastman Kodak mo¬
tion picture film products.
Mr. German, long identified with the
organization, is widely known in the film
industry nationally.
PSA Bestows Awards
Photographic Society of America con¬
ferred highest American photographic-
awards at its annual banquet, held at
Rochester on November 2nd, to 39 Amer¬
icans and eight residents of other coun¬
tries. Honors included one Honorary Fel¬
lowship — to Dr. Samuel Edward Shep¬
pard of Rochester for scientific research
in broad fields of photography since
1906 — two Honorary Memberships, 10
Fellowships, and 34 Associateships.
McKinley
PHOTO LABORATORIES
5005 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 27
Si
O CAMERAS jr
X PROJECTORS 1 O
MM ACCFEriES MM
till Processing • Photo Finishing
'
Sound Services. Inc.
1021 Seward St.
Hollywood 38, Calif.
COMPLETE
SOUND SERVICE
FOR THE
INDEPENDENT
PRODUCER
35 MM. - 16 MM.
Western Electric
RECORDI NG
FOR SALE
WE BUY. SELL AND RENT PROFESSIONAL
AND 16mm EQUIPMENT, NEW AND USED.
WE ARE DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL LEAD
ING MANUFACTURERS. RUBY CAMERA
EXCHANGE, 729 Seventh Ave., New York City.
Established since 1910.
FOR SALE — 35mm. Askania Motion Picture
Camera with 3 Schneider Xenon lenses and
many accessories. Price $875.00. 8" F-2.3
Astro Pan-Tachar lens in M.P. focusing mount.
Price, $225.00.
CAMERA MART, INC.
1610 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif.
HE-7373
BELL HOWELL Sound Printer, $2250.00; BH
Eyemo Turret Camera, Magazine. 4 lenses, mo¬
tor, tripod, $1095.00 ; Depue Optical Reduction
Printer, rebuilt $2995.00 ; RCA type double sys¬
tem Recorder with amplification, etc. $6,150.00 ;
Duplex 35 mm. Printer, $495.00 ; Moviolas,
$195.00; 2000W Studio Spots, $67.50; Akeley
Newsreel Camera, Gyrotripod, $695.00 ; BH
Geared Tripods, $69.50. Send for listings. S.O.S.
CINEMA SUPPLY CORP., 449 W. 42nd St.,
New York 18.
ONE BRAND NEW Auricon Blimp with special
focusing device and synchronous motor drive.
All in fine leather carrying case and shipping
carton. AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER,
Box 1034.
WANTED
MOVIE FILMS WANTED— Original sport films,
boxing, wrestling, jui jitsui, fencing, etc.,
35mm., 16mm., or 8 mm. Positive or negative,
any footage, edited or not. Peerless Sales,
Room 904, 1472 Broadway, New York City.
WANTED TO BUY FOR CASH
CAMERAS AND ACCESSORIES
MITCHELL, B & H, EYEMO. DEBRIE. AKELEY
ALSO LABORATORY AND CUTTING ROOM
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY
1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 19
CABLE: CINEQUIP
WE PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING PHOTO¬
GRAPHIC. Write us today. Hollywood Camera
Exchange. 1600 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
BASS PAYS CASH for good photo equipment.
Want Contax, Leica, 16mm cameras and appa¬
ratus . . . 35mm spring-driven cameras. Write
full description for generous cash otters. BASS
CAMERA CO., 179 W. Madison St., Chicago 2,
Illinois.
ADVERTISER is interested in modern and latest
equipment for erecting a film producing studio.
Manufacturers in the line are requested to for¬
ward their catalogues, price-lists, and all other
connected details together with their terms of
business to: THE VICTROPHONE CO., 27
Wallajah Road, MOUNT ROAD P. O., MAD¬
RAS, (INDIA I
LENSES wanted ! Top prices and spot cash for all
types of standard lenses such as Zeiss, Goerz,
Steinheil, Cooke, Wollensak, etc. Mail lens for
examination and state your asking price. Im¬
mediate service. Burke & James, Inc., 321 S.
Wabash Ave., Chicago 4, Ill.
WILL PAY TOP PRICES for still cameras such
as Contax, Leica, Rollieflex, etc., also Cine
Cameras and all types of photographic lenses.
Send full description or mail in for examination.
We acknowledge immediately. Photo Lens Co.,
140 W. 32nd Street, New York City.
WIRE US COLLECT— We pay more — Laboratory,
Studio, or Recording Equipment. S.O.S. CINE¬
MA SUPPLY CORP., 499 W. 42nd St., New
York 18.
MISCELLANEOUS
CAMERA RENTAL (35m/m, 16m/m) R. C. A.
sound, color corrected dupes, storage vaults,
complete studio facilities. Inquiries invited.
BUSINESS FILMS, 1101 North Capitol Street.
Washington, D.C.
WE Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras, Projectors, Lab¬
oratory and Cutting Room Equipment. 8-16-36-
mm. We pay highest prices. Carry one of the
most diversified stocks in America. Mogull’s
Camera & Film Exchange, 57 West 48th Street.
New York 19, N. Y.
CAMERA & SOUND MEN
PRODUCTION U N|I|T
Camera and sound men, artistically and scien¬
tifically skilled, well-equipped MODERN
SOUND STUDIO, high-fidelity play-back. Stage
set construction.
ROLAB
Sandy Hook, Connecticut
90 minutes from New York City
Telephone : Newton 581
Studio Slang Creates
Trade Name
Thousands of professional and ama¬
teur photographers, who are owners of
the small spotlight known under the
trade name of The Dinky Inkie, have
inquired as to the origin of this unique
name.
In the motion picture studios, all in¬
candescent lights are called “inkies.”
The Hollywood camera men use many
of these spots for controlled light, and
when they were merely called spotlights
as at their first introduction to the
trade, it became the practice of photo¬
graphers and electricians to refer to
them as “those dinky inkies,” to dis¬
tinguish them from the larger spotlights.
The manufacturers decided that the
best way to describe the product in their
catalog, was to call it what the studio
technicians were calling it. Thus the term
Dinky Inkie became a well known trade
name which never fails to provoke a
smile when the layman first hears it.
466 December, 1946 • American Cinematographer
He creates reality...
• Only a model wreck . . . but intensely
real on the screen . . . thanks to the
director of special effects.
Because of his ingenuity and inven¬
tive art, pictures are made that without
him would be impossible. And when
audiences exclaim, laugh, or sit in
silence before stark drama, it’s often
an unknowing tribute to his imagina¬
tion and technical skill ... to his power
to create reality.
But if he is to exercise this creative
power to the full, he naturally requires
superior film, perfectly adapted to the
particular problem at hand. That’s the
reason why so many directors of spe¬
cial effects prefer to use Eastman Back¬
grounds, Eastman Fine Grain Dupli¬
cating Negative, Eastman Fine Grain
Duplicating Positive, and other mem¬
bers of the large and well-known family
of Eastman motion picture films.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.
J. E. BRULATOUR, INC., DISTRIBUTORS
FORT LEE • CHICAGO . HOLLYWOOD
Here’s your first postwar Filmo !
:■ A '
'
'
The All -New Bell & Howell Slide Projector
for Homes and Medium-Capacity Halls
It’s the slide projector you’ve been waiting for . . . precision
engineered with all the skill and “know-how” for which
Bell & Howell are famous.
Refinements and features are all you have asked for.
Together, they give you a slide projector that is really
simple to operate, really cool, and that projects on the
screen everything you’ve captured in your film.
The Duo-Master really protects your slides, too. Leave a
slide in place indefinitely — it will not be damaged by heat.
Filmo Duo-Masters are in production now. You’ll be
seeing them soon at your Bell & Howell dealer’s. When you
see them, you’ll be mighty glad you waited!
Bell & Howell Company, 7148 McCormick Road, Chicago
45. Branches in New York, Hollywood, Washington, D. C.,
and London.
FILMO SLIDE MASTER — for clubs, auditoriums,
and larger halls. It’s still new in superior 2"x2",
1000- watt, projection performance!
9 Duo-Master features assure finer projection
High-efficiency 300-waft Illumination. Rhodium-surfaced, large-
diameter reflector; B&H prealignment gauge.
Adjustable Condensers. Maximum illumination, whatever focal
length lens you use. Easily cleaned.
New Slide Protection. Heat-absorbing glass filter, plus slotted
slide carrier, permits a slide to be left in place indefinitely.
Cool Operation. Natural draft ventilation and triple- walled
lamphouse keep the housing cool. Side-operated slide carrier
eliminates need to reach over the top, through lamp heat.
' Drop-out Lamp Replacement. Base-down lamp can be removed
quickly, while hot, without being touched by hand.
Interchangeable Lenses. Coated high-definition lenses available —
312, 5, or 1'A inches in focal length.
AC or DC. Operates on 105 to 125 volts.
Quick, Accurate Slide Seating. Easy-loading, side-operated slide
carrier takes 2"x 2" slides, paper- or glass-mounted.
Stays Where You Put If. Won’t “jump off the screen.” Rubber
feet and enough weight anchor the Duo -Master to the table.
Bell & Howell
Scanned from the collection of
Margaret Herrick Library
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Coordinated by the
Media History Digital Library
www.mediahistoryproject.org
Funded by a donation from
Russell Merritt
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
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